A Ninja's Devotion
by llwild1992
Summary: Kakashi has loved Sayuri Haruno for years, keeping their relationship a secret. Blessed and yet cursed with famous beauty Sayuri avoids life by running away on Kunoichi missions of the highest priority. Haunted by a tragedy that forced their relationship to be tested. Their love has a cost, just being together is not an option, yet they will give up everything to be together. M
1. Chapter 1

llwild1992 (2016)

Rating: M (Sexual content)

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Paring: Kakashi/OC

Arthur's note: I have no idea where this came from, it just was there and it needed to be written. In all honesty, Kakashi is my favorite character (Spoiler) and I felt really bad that he didn't have a love at the end of the manga, I mean, he deserves some love. Please enjoy and tell me what ya think. Side note: might be a one-shot or just a short story, not sure yet.

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A Ninja's Devotion

"Come on guys, I'm starving!" Naruto complained as he walked ahead of Sakura, Sai, and Kakashi through the crowded streets of the village, "You have no idea how long I've been waiting to use this birthday coupon!" He held the piece of paper above his head like it was the most treasured artifact of the village, "All I can eat!"

"Gosh, Naruto, it's not like you don't get to eat this stuff every other day?" Sakura groaned, slapping her forehead with the palm of her hand, "I just want to go home…" she whispered to the others as they walked in step with her.

"We've been gone two months…" Sai said softly, a light smile pulling at his lips, "It's the least we can do on his birthday."

"Well it's not like you're so concerned with making sure he has a good day." She pouted, something then hit her shoulder, "Ouch." She looked to Sai as she grasped the point of impact. He didn't react, so she dropped her hand, but then something it her again. "Ouch!" she said it with more of an annoyed tone, still no reaction. It had to be him, it was coming from his side of her. Another hit and she caught what it was, a pebble. "Sai stop hitting me with pebbles!"

"I'm not throwing anything at you." Sai answered.

"Ouch! Seriously, look!" she held up the second of the pebbles.

"We'll it's not me."

One it the back of her head.

"Hey that's enough asshole!" Sakura growled as she pivoted on the ball of her foot and made ready to punch the ass who was throwing pebbles at her head, to only have her hand caught by the person. "What?"

"Is that any way to speak to your elder?" a feminine voice asked, "Or at least how to welcome me home?" she asked again as the dust settled.

Naruto and Sai both stepped into Sakura's side, out of protection, Kakashi came forward in curiosity as the woman became visible. Her voices sounded a great deal like Sakura's but older and richer. To Naruto she sounded creepy with how low she pronounced some syllables, like she was horse or something. Kakashi heard and understood it differently, her voice was rich like coffee but low like a thunderstorm off in the distance.

Sakura gasped as she looked into the pale blue eyes of someone she knew far too well, "Aunt Sayuri!" she cheered as she looked into an older reflection of herself.

Sayuri Haruno, smiled deeply as Sakura launched herself up into her arms for a well-deserved hug. Naruto and Sai both blinked as they realized that this newly appeared woman looked like she could have been Sakura's twin or something. Sayuri was a head taller than Sakura and of course looked older, given that she was done all up with makeup, but that was the only real difference. She had long pink hair that pooled over her shoulder like a cascading waterfall, reaching just the top of her thighs. Her blue eyes were hidden by thick black lashes and lined with dark black, her lips a deep blood red color. Her hands as they patted Sakura's back, were long, artist's fingers, painted black.

Dressed in a more adult version of the outfit Sakura wore when she was twelve, consisting of a sleeveless maroon colored crop top and a low hanging matching skirt that was slit at both thighs to allow maximum movement. Instead of skin showing, she had a snug black body suit under it that stopped only at the base of her neck, wrists, and ankles. Her pale moonlight colored skin stood out amongst the dark colors she wore. On the front of her skirt was the Haruno Clan's 'O' crest, and presumably on her back as well.

"It's good to see you too, Sakura." She answered her niece's happiness, running her fingers through Sakura's short hair, "Where did your hair go?"

"I cut it again about a year ago, it was getting too long." Sakura answered, pulling away, taking in the sight of her favorite aunt. "I can't believe you're back, you've been gone, what? Four years?"

"Just about." She laughed, running a hand through the back of her hair, absently pulling some of her hair from her shoulder, "I was just on my way to my apartment when I saw you, so I just had to get your attention."

"Guys, this is my aunt, Sayuri." She motioned back to Sai and Naruto who were right behind her watching the exchange between the two women. "This is my team." Sakura didn't however point in Kakashi's direction, mostly because he stood off to the side, not reading his book, seemingly disinterested in the whole situation. She wouldn't want to introduce her aunt to a neutral person like that.

' _Wow, she's really pretty…is that what Sakura is going to look like when she's older?'_ Naruto though as Sayuri stepped forward and bowed at the waist to the two younger men.

"Naruto Uzumaki." She greeted kindly, but how she had pronounced his name sent chills down his spine for some reason, "I've heard a great deal about you, it's a pleasure to meet you. Sayuri Haruno." She held out her hand for him.

' _ah…what does she want me to…she's so beautiful, do I take her hand and bow? Or do I grasp firmly and shake? Or maybe…her palm is down…and she's…does she want me to kiss the top of her hand? Ah! What do I do?'_ Naruto panicked as he looked at her offered hand and then to her eyes, half closed, but not like she was sleepy or anything, she was looking at him like she…he didn't know…a deep flush started to spread out over his cheeks as she looked at him making his heart pound quickly and his blood run cold. _'I…I think I'm scared of her. It's the only explanation…'_

Deciding, Naruto gripped her hand and shook it, "Nice to me ya!" he greeted nervously and loudly.

Sakura sighed, embarrassed, "Wow, smooth."

Sayuri chuckled lightly and then looked towards Sai, meanwhile pulling her hand out of Naruto's sweating one. "Sayuri." She smiled.

"I am Sai." Sai answered in a quiet tone, taking her hand and shaking it, "you are mesmerizing." He complementing, smiling.

"Oh, thank you."

"Sai!" Sakura warned, "You'd better not be—"

"—in all honesty you are the most attractive woman I have come across in a long time." Sai interrupted, bringing her hand to his lips to kiss her knuckles.

' _She looks just like me, why the hell does she deserve to be called attractive and I get called the opposite? Sai I will kill you!'_

"Sai!" Naruto screamed, appearing at his side, panicking over what he was doing, "Let go of her hand, you—you're—it's invading her personal space."

"It's alright." Sayuri laughed, pulling her hand away from Sai's grasp. "Happens all the time." She waved them off, "you're cute Sai." She giggled, trying hard to stop the laughter.

"Me?" Naruto blushed, pointing to himself, suddenly desperate to know what she thought of him, although he was the one she complemented earlier about hearing about him.

Opening her eyes wide, "You?" she asked, stepping into his personal space, peering up into his blue eyes. Sakura gasped at how close Sayuri was to Naruto, nearly pulling her hair out. Sayuri watched as Naruto turned a deep shade of red as she looked into him, so close to his lips. She knew she was pushing it, but she enjoyed playing with him, "You're adorable." She winked before stepping back, resting her left elbow onto Sakura's shoulder, leaning into her, "I say, your whole team is cute." Sayuri laughed, "Just like my little niece here."

"Hey." Sakura looked away, huffing out smoke, ticked that the boys had acted so strange with her, Naruto was currently a pool of goo on the ground, still red and Sai had in all honesty complemented her without faking it. "You're only ten years older than me."

"Oh, my poor baby niece." Sayuri mocked Sakura's whiny tone and batted the back of her hand on her cheek. "Still got that inferiority complex?"

"Wait?" Naruto became a whole person once again and looked between the two, "You're so young to be her aunt, aren't you?"

"I'm the youngest of eight siblings, Kizashi; her father, is my eldest brother. So that's why we're so close in age." Sayuri smiled deeply, suddenly looked like she was a kid, like them, looking so much like her niece, who too smiled as they touched heads. "We're a little more like sisters because of the gap, but family is family."

"So you've been on a mission?" Naruto asked, she didn't look like a shinobi, then again appearances are deceiving, Sakura sure as hell doesn't look like she could destroy a building with one punch. But this woman was just too…too sweet and beautiful…she couldn't have harmed a fly, could she?

"Yes, but now I'm back."

"Have you gone to see grandfather?" Sakura asked.

Sayuri shivered, "I'm avoiding that for as long as possible. The old man as a few demands for me if and when I ever go home. Hopefully another opportunity make's itself known soon."

"Why?"

"When you're twenty-seven and the only daughter of the Clan Head, then you'll understand."

"I guess I will, Papa might succeed soon, with how grandfather's health is."

"Lord, then we're all doomed with Kizashi as Leader." Sayuri laughed, running her hands through her hair once again.

"So what was this mission about?" Naruto asked, truly wanting to know and understand this woman.

"Oh a little of this a little of that." She shrugged.

"For four years?" Sai asked, becoming interested too.

"Well a kunoichi mission isn't as straight forward as you'd think, there was a lot of waiting and maneuvering involved in getting to where I actually needed to go. Plus, listening to all the gossip and manipulating things out of men, it's harder than you'd think."

"so what happens if you…?" Sakura asked, but didn't finish.

Sayuri understood, "You have to get in deep." She answered.

Blushing, "and if you have too…?" Sayuri used her thumb to mimicked throat slicing, adding a blade sound. With wide eyes, "really?"

"Nope, more like…" Again she didn't speak, just used ques, this time she fake-punched herself in the chin.

"Wow, you never…?"

"Not protocol."

"Oh…"

"You've never been on a solo kunoichi mission before?"

"Tsunade changed the age to twenty-one for those." Sakura shook her head, "but I'm not too upset about that, I don't think I'd be any good at pretending for so long."

"Don't worry." She laughed.

"So…" Naruto smiled, holding out his coupon, "It's my birthday and we're all going out for Ramen. Would you like to join us?" his hands and legs were shaking as he asked.

"Oh?" She pointed towards herself. "Me?" Naruto shook his head so fast Sakura worried he was about to give himself whiplash. "I could eat." She announced.

"Great!" Naruto punched the air, "Let's go!"

"Why are you acting so weird?" Sakura asked as Naruto began to skip down the street.

"I'm just happy." He answered, a light nervous laughter in his tone.

"Gosh," Sayuri flipped her hair over her shoulder, "He is nothing like I had thought the child of Lord Fourth."

"You miss a lot when you're gone for so long, Sayuri." Kakashi answered her, closing his book and placing it in his pack. "Naruto is an enigma, but he is powerful."

"In the beginning of all of this, Sakura said he's not gifted but it's his determination that has made him strong." She stepped closer to him, still watching the three as they arrived at the ramen stand. "He is still determined to bring back the wayward Uchiha boy?"

"It is all he can think about most days."

"Even in the capital city and the Daimyō's court we've heard whispers of the two. Naruto better be crossing his t's and dotting his i's, they fear him up there."

"We?" Kakashi asked.

"The other kunoichi undercover there, over the last few years Tsunade has put may more spies in place to hear what is going on. The Daimyō has become suspicious of another shinobi war and has broken off all non-formal contact with her."

"Why have you come back?"

"My target was successfully assassination after four years of biding my time; there was no need to stick around and maneuver anymore, so I returned." Turning towards him, she smiled lightly, "How are you, Kakashi?"

"I can't complain." He shrugged.

"I'm glad to hear it and that I ran into you. I was hoping to see you before I got assigned somewhere else."

"You expect that so soon? You are owed plenty of time."

"With my home life, two days is plenty of time. Wouldn't you think?" she peered up at him with her pale blue eyes, expecting an answer, but of course he didn't give one. Making her giggle, "you haven't change at all."

"You expected that?"

"Not at all." She rolled her eyes, batting his chest with the back of her hand, "I've known you long enough; you won't change." They exchanged a soft looked between each other.

Sayuri's light powder colored eyes, so full of passion and light, and the dark sharpness of Kakashi's single sleepy eye. A moment passed, unknowing to the world, of peace and understanding.

Clearing his throat, Kakashi crossed his arms over his vest trying to appear nonchalant and easy, but really, the unspoken exchange was unnerving him. "You should rethink being assigned so soon."

"Why? You offering something different?" Pinning him with a look that made the real Kakashi, deep down under the façade he wanted all others to believe he truly acted as, quake in his shoes.

Before Kakashi could answer, a passing man reaching out and ran his hand over Sayuri's hair, not getting far because Kakashi reached out with chakra-induced speed and grabbed his wrist, "Hey!" the man gasped, "I was only admiring this woman's beautiful colored hair."

"Let go." Kakashi ordered his sleepy eye coming awake, a warning to any who did not know him.

"I was only going to ask her how much the night was." He pulled away and out of the silver haired man's grip, "It's a fair question."

Sayuri chuckled deeply, pulling her hair back over her left shoulder, "oh really?" she giggled, stepping back to peer over her shoulder at the insubordinate man, "I'll tell you." Her voice was sweet and calm. But then a fast hand swung down and gripped the man by his genitals, hard, making him cry out in terror and pain as she pulled him to her, a deadly look in her eye, Sayuri's whole body had changed from calm to dangerous. "Even if I was a prostitute; you couldn't afford me you piece of shit." With the man's final cry, Sayuri rounded on her foot and kicked him in the stomach, sending him flying into the crowd with a yell. "Pervert!" she shouted, bringing her foot back down. "Jeez what is with some people? No shame."

"You haven't changed at all, Sayuri." Kakashi sighed, "Still kicking the shit grown men."

"Well, as you can guess, grown men are my specialty." She mocked his carefree tone.

"Hey, you guys ordering food of what?" Naruto's voice broke through the crowd, looking on ahead they both found him waving for them to come.

"Kakashi Sensei stop boring Sayuri." Sakura called out.

"I guess we've stalled long enough." She laughed, leaving him behind. "Sorry about that, just catching up." Sayuri placed her hands together and smiled before sitting next to Sakura in one of the empty stools at the right, the cook asked to take her order, "I'll have a spring bowl if you serve it?"

"I'm nearly out of squash, is zucchini alright with you?" he asked, looking for his basket full of vegetables to substitute for noodles.

"That is." She agreed, "Many thanks."

Kakashi placed his hand onto her shoulder as he sat down, stunning the three as he did so. But Sayuri did not react to it. It may have been a simple touch, he was sitting in the last seat and next to the wall, he may have just been using her for balance. But when did Kakashi Sensei lose his balance? Naruto's eyes squinted as he watched the older man's hand leave Sayuri's shoulder and give his order, he was just as nonchalant as ever but there was something unsettling in it. Sakura noticed it too. It was just strange to see Kakashi touching people when he didn't have to.

"So you said you two were catching up?" Naruto questioned as he handed in his empty bowl to be given another helping.

"Yes," Sayuri answered, accepting her bowl and breaking her chopsticks, "we've known each other for…" she looked at Kakashi, who was leaning onto his forearms, just listening, not engaging. Seeing then, Sayuri brazenly leaned over and placed her hand onto the top of his thigh, gaining his attention for a split second, the other's couldn't see the touch, to them it looked like she was just leaning in. "Nine or so years?"

"About right." Kakashi answered, his eye never moved, "when you became a Jōnin."

"Oh that's right." She giggled taking her hand away from him, "you were still in ANBU when I was a Chūnin so I didn't know you then."

"Eh?" Sakura questioned as she swallowed, "You've known him that long?"

"Isn't it natural to know someone you're affiliated with; don't you know most of the Chūnin you work with?"

"Just their names."

"Well, so why all the surprise I know him?"

"I don't know." Sakura answered, looking away, "Sometimes I forget your rank and think of you as just Sayuri."

"Funny."

"So, Sayuri, before when you and Sakura were talking about your mission, what did you really do?"

"You didn't understand the messages I was giving her?"

"Believe it or not, Naruto isn't the best at getting subliminal messages." Sakura sighed under her breath.

"No…"

"It was a long term SIA mission."

"A what?"

"Seduction, Interrogation, and Assassination mission." Sai answered, having barely touched his bowl at all. Naruto gasped and turned to the silent ninja and demanded to know what that meant. "It means she worked her way into a man's life, seduced him, gently probed him for information, and then in the end killed him. Missions like that could take years because some men don't willingly give top secret secrets to their new mistresses."

"So you…you…"

"No one ever explained what Kunoichi missions entail?" Sayuri laughed as Naruto blushed and shook his head, "oh goodness that just ads to how adorable you are, Naruto."

Stars caught in his eyes again, she called him 'adorable'! Sakura just groaned and continued to eat.

The team all quieted down as they all started to eat. Naruto did manage to ask Sayuri more questions and Sai even asked if she would sit for a portrait, but other than that nothing but slurps could be heard from the five of them. When they were done and Naruto had reached his limit of 'all you can eat' Sai excused himself, not before kissing the top of Sayuri's hand again, angering Naruto. He couldn't understand why it bothered him, but he felt embarrassed about yelling at Sai over it when Sayuri just laughed it off and called it 'cute' again. She even asked for a raincheck for their portrait session.

It was just Naruto, Kakashi, Sakura and Sayuri as they walked happily together.

Kakashi was of course reading his book, not really paying attention to the rosette woman standing between him and Naruto as she answered all the questions Naruto could think to ask. Bothering Sakura who was a little possessive over her aunt, but Sayuri didn't mind at all. Just as he remembered, she was still as easy going and kind, but like Sakura she had fire and a feistiness about her that no one would think she possessed.

It was probably because she was so beautiful. She wasn't vain nor did she pride herself on her physical beauty. She was the embodiment of 'never judge a book by its cover', it could unnerve others for how strong or smart she truly was. It also really bothered people when she really accepted that she was beautiful. In all the years he has known her, she never truly meant her simple 'thanks' for being called that. Nor did she truly enjoy having to be assigned SIA missions, it was because of her beauty that she was given them.

"Sakura!" A man's voice called out to them.

Looking ahead, Sakura found her father walking towards them, waving happily as he did so, "Hi Papa." She called cheerily back. Sayuri squeaked like a toy and in a flash was not between Naruto and Kakashi, but behind Sakura, hiding like a child. nearly pushing her niece down to the ground. "Did you just get home?"

"Yes I did." Kizashi said as he stood in front of them, "Thought I'd stop by your apartment and check in with you, but I found you before…" he eyed the woman with long pink hair hiding behind his daughter, "Sayuri?" he questioned.

Groaning, his sister stepped out from behind Sakura and laughed, "Hi, big brother." She smiled, acting like a child with their hand caught in the cookie jar. "I'm home…"

"I can see that." Kizashi uncrossed his arms, "what, no love for big brother?" Sighing Sayuri bowed her head to him before walking into his arms. "My little sister," He mused, running his hand over the back of her hair, but then lifted her up off the ground, "I can't believe the baby is back, this brings me such joy to have my baby home and safe!"

"Kizashi! Put me down!" Sayuri demanded as she tried to pull away from her overly zealous brother, "I'm not a baby and I'm not your baby!"

"I raised you for the most part, so you're my baby."

"Well I want to be put down!" She shouted, elbowing him in the middle of his back, knocking the wind out of him, making him drop her. "Oh, sorry!" she gasped seeing her bother turning green, "I didn't mean it."

"Not a problem." He said, breathlessly and chocking back on vomit, "I forgot, you don't like your feet being off the ground."

"Serves you right Papa." Sakura laughed, wrapping her arms around Sayuri's waist and leaning into her, "she just got back yesterday."

"That's good." Kizashi said, gaining his breath and composure back, "Father will want you to come home."

"But that involves seeing him." Sayuri sighed, leaning back into Sakura, "And I don't really feel like doing that at this time."

"He's old, Sayuri, you need to see our father."

"I will, on my own time. Don't force me, Kizashi, you always promised me that you'd let me decide what I do."

"Only when I become Leader."

"Aren't you acting Leader?" she asked, raising her brow, when he didn't answer she frowned, "Controlling old fool."

"Why don't you want to go home?" Naruto asked innocently. _'if I had a family like Sakura's I wouldn't waist a moment to be with them.'_

Rolling her eyes, "Because I am of a certain age and status, plus I am the only daughter. If I go home, I will be caged and never let free." She kept her eyes on her brother, daggers in them. "I'll hold out as long as possible."

"It's not like the old days." Kizashi said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Just come home for dinner so even mother can see you."

Licking her lips, Sayuri looked away, "I'll take my chances."

"Very well." her brother looked her over, a frown forming on his face. Spitting a 'I'm disappointed in you' look towards her. "Sakura." Kizashi opened his arms for her to come to him, he was dismissing himself.

Unfolding Sayuri from her own hug, Sakura kissed her father on the cheek and gave him the affection he wanted. As they all watched him leave, Naruto wondered what Sayuri was really running from.

"You should see grandfather." Sakura said, without turning to face her aunt, "It's nearly his time."

"I know." Sayuri confirmed, "I'll stick around if you want."

"Do it for you, not for me, I'm not a kid anymore, Sayuri. I don't need you like I did in the old days."

"Oh really?" she laughed. "That's good."

"well I got to get going," Sakura yawned, "I have rounds tomorrow."

"Okay."

"I should go too." Naruto announced, "Hey Sakura, I'll walk you home."

"Oh thanks."

Taking her hand again, Naruto blushed as he smiled towards her, "It was really nice to meet you, Sayuri."

"Pleasure is all mine, Naruto Uzumaki. While I'm in the village I hope to see this great ninja I've heard about."

"Not a problem. Hey you should come and see us train sometime, or even go on a mission with you…ah—that is, if you want, or if you don't that's completely fine, seeing as all you just got back from one…would you?"

"I'll see."

"Naruto!" Sakura yelled, having already started to walk off on her own, jealous of the attention Sayuri was getting, "Are you walking me home or what?"

"Coming Sakura!" Naruto turned blue as she continued to yell, mumbling to herself as he chased after her.

Hiding her lips, Sayuri laughed. "Goodness he is so adorable." She said again, pivoting on her foot to face the impassioned Kakashi, already lost in his book. "I guess…"

"Hey, Kakashi." Someone yelled out from the crowd. Both Jōnin looked up to find Might Guy approaching, "I'm glad I found you, all my comrades abandoned me on my drinking night."

Closing his book, Kakashi inwardly groaned at the thought of having to babysit a drink Guy once again. Before he could say anything, Sayuri turned on her heel and walked away. Passing the excited Guy as she did so, her long cherry blossom hair flowing in the wind she made, leaving a faint sent of peaches in her walk. Guy took note and froze, turning as he watched the woman walk off into the distance.

"What a woman!" Guy remarked, "Wasn't that…what's her name again? Sounded like a lily?"

"Sayuri Haruno." Kakashi answered Guy's wonderings.

"Ah!" He pounded a fist into his open hand, "The Utsukushi-sa of Konoha"—The Great Beauty of Konoha— "I heard she was back, even caused a riot at the front gate because the drooling guards kept their attention on her rather than checking in the other entries. Tsunade herself had to come down and fix everything. Man isn't she a beautiful woman?"

"She is."

"She's been away for two years—"

"—three…"

"The rest of the male population in the village will be after her, I should go stake my claimed before anyone else. She is sure to fall in love with me and all my youth!" before Guy could run off after her, Kakashi reached out with his book and hit Guy over the head, effectively stunning him for a moment. "Why did you do that?"

"How about that drink?" Kakashi asked, putting his nose back into the book and started off to their usual pub.

A few hours later, after dropping a drunken Guy off at his own apartment, a slightly affected Kakashi pushed open his own front door and shut the world away. Finding himself in the cold darkness of his home. It was not as large as he would have liked, but he was rarely home as it was, so the size was perfect for the times he was home. As he took off his shoes and started to undo his vest, the night replayed in his slightly hazy mind.

Stepping up into his home he entre the small sitting area and pulled off his vest, wanting very much to just sit down on the settee and finish the next chapter before falling into his bed. As he pulled off his vest, an alarming chakra made itself known. Shivering at his nearness, he froze.

"In her letters, she made it seem as though you're very protective of Sakura." Sayuri's voice broke in the silence. She stepped out from the shadows and stood in his kitchenette, "Is it because she is my niece or because she reminds you of me?"

Dropping the vest down onto the settee with an empowered thud, "A little of both I guess." He answered, removing his kunai holster and pockets and depositing them on the settee as well. his eye watched intently as she looked from him to the scenery of his small one-bedroom apartment. The same one she had been so accustoming to visit in the late hours of the morning years ago.

"Love what you've done with the place." Sayuri complemented as she walked from the kitchenette to the sitting area, eyes roaming everywhere but on the man who owned the apartment. "Very; unattached bachelor." She laughed.

"Why are you here, Sayuri?"

"I don't know." She shrugged, "probably because I don't feel like going home, my brother has probably told our father I'm back, so there should be a cousin or two waiting at my door." She picked up the photo of Team 7, looking down at the faces of the kids, "Sasuke Uchiha is a very good looking boy," she mused, "hate to see what he'll look like as a man, his brother was intimidatingly handsome, but this boy is so; pretty."

"Why did you come back, Sayuri?" Kakashi revised his original question.

"My mission was over, Kakashi."

"And coming here?"

"I think you're smart enough to guess that one."

"We're not having _that_ argument again."

"Wouldn't have called it an argument, the last time we talked, I was the one crying on the floor while you read that damned book."

"Then why did you run away? If it wasn't an argument?"

Blowing air through her lips as she replaced the photo she looked out his window to find how to word it. "To be honest, I was twenty-three and stupid. I ran away because I wanted to hurt you and that was the only way I could think of to do it, but it only hurt me in the long run."

"Really? Only you?"

"You didn't tell me what I wanted to hear."

"As you said; you were twenty-three and young. You hadn't seen enough of the world to know what you wanted."

"I wanted you, Kakashi, forever. But you wouldn't give me it. You broke my heart because you didn't want the same things I wanted. But I guess nature knew better than us. And took care of it. You didn't even have to lift a finger."

"That baby would have been an adventure, Sayuri, but it would have been your only adventure."

"That would have been enough, Kakashi. You just couldn't see it. After the miscarriage I felt like a failure, that somehow I had failed that baby and you. So I ran from responsibilities and took that mission. Partly to see if I could make you jealous, you didn't show any care for the loss and it hurt."

"You think I didn't care for you or the baby? Sayuri I would have done anything had you asked. Running wasn't your only option."

"I know, but it was better than the other's at the time. I wanted to forget about it, and being wined and dined by a rich man who gave me everything was the ticket." A flash of emotion passed Kakashi's visible eye, "Does that bother you?" she caught him, "That everything you wouldn't give to me was handing on a gold tray? Does that anger you? Do I finally get the satisfaction of hurting the great Copycat Ninja?" the eye looked away for a moment, Kakashi let himself become vulnerable in front of her.

"Do you want to know how I managed to compartmentalize the seduction?" She asked, stepping into his personal space. Looking up at him with her pale blue eyes, "He was old and a widower, with an ass that looked like a prune. In order to make the seduction successful without compromising her own self, the kunoichi is expected to place herself somewhere else in her own mind. Each has her own way of doing it. Well me; I pretended he was you." That got a reaction out of him, his body went ridged, "as the process went further and future, you took his place. It wasn't his hand that I touched," her hand gently grasped his wrist, pulling it upwards and then her fingers danced across the exposed skin, "It was your scent that engulfed me when I rested against him. It was your chest that I held onto when he would pull me against him." fingers traveled from his wrist to his chest, swiping in a sensual motion from the top of one shoulder, down along his clavicle, to the other shoulder, repeatedly. Under her touch, she felt his heart begin to pound. "As the seduction continued and I would have to put him under a genjutsu to make him believe I was truly committing to our relationship, I longed for him to be you…every night."

When her free hand reached up to remove his headband, he stopped her, "Sayuri." He warned.

"I'm not afraid of it," she stated gently, "I love it in fact, just like I love every scar on your body." Dropping his hand, powerless against her, he allowed her delicate hand to pull it up and off of his head, throwing it onto the settee with his vest. Keeping his eye closed, she first touched his silver brow, and then ran her thumb along the scar down his eye and onto his cheek, and then lovingly touched his lashes feathering against his skin. As she cupped the side of his neck, he slowly opened his Sharingan eye. Her breath caught as she looked into the deep blood red of the eye, feeling it's power as it looked into her soul.

"You are beautiful." She remarked, placing her other hand onto his cheek. "Women must throw themselves at you?" No reaction, so she stepped more into his space, rising up onto her toes as his fingers hooked themselves into the sides of his mask, he did not fight her as she pulled it away, revealing his full face for the first time in four years. "So we both have made each other jealous?" she mused, her thumb running along the seam of his perfect thin lips, "I'm okay if you've been with other women in this time. As we did not officially end it. Women can get away with imagination, men on the other hand have a more physical need."

Kakashi's Adam's apple bobbed up and down quickly as his hands found her waist, holding her against him.

With a curious pinning glair, Sayuri licked her lips, both of his eyes zeroed in on the movement, "You haven't? In all this time?" she felt his bare fingers twin in the bottom ends of her hair, fisting them. "Oh Kakashi," she gasped as he pressed her belly against his, letting her feel all of him, "Self-imposed celibacy for four years can make a man _ravenous_."

Kakashi's lips ceased her own in a hungry kiss, his hands pressed her closer to him. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Sayuri let him take, he was a man starved, he took what he wanted and had been waiting for since her departure. Kissing him back with just as much longing and passion as he was. Letting him lift her from the ground she wrapped her legs around his waist as he moved them onto the settee, not caring that they ere crushing his vest, situating her to straddle him as they kissed with abandon.

Reaching down with skilled hands, Sayuri found the tails of his blue shirt and quickly pulled it up, making Kakashi break their kiss just for a moment to raise his arms and help her remove it. The offending piece of clothing was chucked across the room as she attacked his skin with a series of hot open mouth kisses, staring at the seam of his lips, trailing down the side of his neck, and to the hallow of his throat. Meanwhile her hands threated their way through his silver hair, pressing into his skin.

Kakashi's own hands, pulled her hair from her body and into a vice like grip in one. With his free hand, he grasped the zipper at the base of her throat and started to pull it down, the material moaned at the release, becoming just a piece of fabric against her chest. Pulling it off of her, Kakashi pulled her lips back to his.

Their quick breaths mingled and became hot air around them, time seemed to stop. Touches became rougher and harder, not getting enough of each other. Boldly Sayuri reached back to started undoing the zipper of her suit, the tight fabric that outlined her tight body gave way. At the sight of her creamy shoulder, Kakashi groaned and pulled it from her arms, leaving her bare chested. Desire to taste her skin over took him. Pressing his lips into the space between her perfect mounds, he licked. Tasting her signature sent of peaches.

Sayuri gasped as he continued to lick her skin, even biting gently down onto her breast. Fisting her hands into his hair, she decided she wanted; no needed…pulling him away from her skin she threw him back into the settee. One hand kept its grip in his hair and the other took hold of his throat. The Sharingan eye swirled at the feeling of danger. But she would never hurt him, or be able to hurt him.

She kissed him hungrily, taking his now plump lip between her teeth as she pulled away. "Tell me that you love me, please, Kakashi?" she whispered against his lips.

"You know that I do, Sayuri." He answered, running a hand lovingly through her long hair before picking her up with him. "Always."

"I can still picture it, spending all of my days with you; here." She sadly said against his lips before kissing him gently, resting her forehead against his. "Forever…" he pushed open the only door besides the front door and entered his small bedroom. Sparse for even a ninja.

Placing her onto the cool sheets of his bed, Kakashi helped her remove the last of her bodysuit, and then his own pants and underclothes, leaving them both as naked as the days they were born. Coming down onto her, placed between her thighs, they continued to kiss. Her hands roamed the bare planes of his scared back, running against each line, pressing her love into them, remembering where each one began and a new one formed. His fingers trailed the lines of her perfect breasts and smooth skin of her sides.

Pulling away he pressed up to look her in the eye with his mismatched black and red gaze, "If you were given them?" he asked.

A breathless chuckle escaped her lips as she shook her head slowly, "I'm back, there is no chance of that happening now, my love." Her fingers traced the sides of his face, "So don't make me hope; it will only destroy us."

* * *

Word count: 6600

Page count: 14 MS word

R&R please?


	2. Chapter 2

llwild1992 (2016)

Rating: M (Sexual content)

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Paring: Kakashi/OC

Arthur's note: I have no idea where this came from, it just was there and it needed to be written. In all honesty, Kakashi is my favorite character (Spoiler) and I felt really bad that he didn't have a love at the end of the manga, I mean, he deserves some love. Please enjoy and tell me what ya think. Side note: might be a one-shot or just a short story, not sure yet.

* * *

A Ninja's Devotion

Kakashi looked down at the beautiful woman laying on her stomach beside him, covered in just a simple thin sheet, her long cherry blossom hair laying around her like a halo, tangled all over her limbs making her looks like some sort of goddess or nymph. It was true that Sayuri possessed physical beauty that was undeniably attractive, any man would kill to have her lay beside them. But it wasn't the beauty that he loved, it was simply her gentle soul and the ease of her that made him comfortable.

Since his own father's death, Kakashi shut himself away and never showed who he truly was. Not even with Rin, Obito, nor Minato Sensei. The deepest parts of himself that made up his private world. Sayuri was the only woman he had shown it too, who had accepted him for the secrets and the regrets. They were probably more alike than anything. She too was mysterious and sorrowful.

Looking down at her, watching as she rested beside him, her lips parting with her gentle breaths, the flush of her skin, the gentle curve of her back. Taking in a faint scent of peaches, he leaned his head back into the wall and closed his eyes. Remembering that day, all those years ago when he first laid an eye on her, before she was known as the 'Utsukushi-sa of Konoha', she was just a novice Jōnin excited with her new rank and determined to fulfill her obligation to Lord Third Hokage. They never worked officially together, he was just being cycled out of ANBU and had met her on accident, she was at a party being thrown in his favorite pub.

 _Kakashi leaned back against the wall and sighed. His normal hangout pub was full to the brim and boisterous. Taking up the last seat to rest his legs against he observed the party from afar. Men and women all laughed and tossed back their drinks. The bartender shook his head as he prepared cocktails and refilled shots, certainly he wasn't appreciative of the noise._

" _Sayuri, when are you going to marry me?" someone asked as a woman was hoisted up onto the tall bar top by the waist._

" _Next week." A very low but feminine voice answered._

 _A ripple of electricity ran down Kakashi's spine as he heard the answer. Turning his head to the side he caught a glimpse of the woman who the voice belonged to. His gut tightened when he looked upon her. She was exquisite. Medium height, cream skin, a swanlike neck that was both delicate but sturdy, long legs that were currently being tucked under her body as she sat there in a more traditional red kimono. But the dress wasn't as traditional, it was split at the thigh to allow movement. She had black legging on under it; she showed no skin at all. From the lowest point of her neck to her wrists and ankles, she was covered. Only her hands, feet, and face where available for viewing pleasure. But it was the lack of skin being showed that made her tempting._

 _She had a beautiful face, heart shaped head, wide doe-like pale blue eyes hidden under feather like lashes, a thin nose that was very becoming on her, and perfect lips shaped like a cupid's bow. She wasn't even wearing any makeup and she looked like a goddess. Her forehead was wide, her forehead protector sat perfectly on her bow. Her long pink hair was gathered at the nape of her neck in a large intricate braid, fresh flowers filled every nook and cranny of the weaving. Even bound her hair was hip length, alluding to how long and thick it truly was._

 _Kakashi felt himself come to life, as if her existence started a fire in him. Sitting up like a pin or being held by a string he watched as she moved. It was like slow motion. Her lips parted into a deep smile, eyes creasing gently as she cocked her head to the side. She was a sight to beheld, as if she was one of the wonders of the world and seeing her was a blessing not many had the chance to have. As if he was sitting right up against her, he could swear she smelled like peaches and vanilla. A delicate scent for one so delicate as her._

 _Being ANBU he had rarely seen anything in this world truly delicate, she was like a breath of fresh air in his world of turmoil and blood._

 _Desire and lust filled his body as he watched her. He wanted her, wanted to possess her like a crazed man. Images of tripping away that damned body suit and revealing the cream color of her legs before wrapping them around his waist as he devoured her soft and perfect lips filled his mind. His body became tight and agitated as she moved. Kakashi was a little shocked at how violently and desperately he wanted her, how fast he lost his own control._

 _She smiled and touched the side of the guy's face lovingly. Disappointing Kakashi, of course she had a boyfriend._

" _No!" another man interjected, "Sayuri promised to marry me before you."_

" _Then we'll get married tomorrow." Sayuri gently cooed, hiding her lips behind her hand as she chuckled at how desperate the two men were for her attention._

" _You mean it?" the second man asked. "Truly?"_

" _Of course," she mocked it tone, "Any girl in the village would be delighted to have the hand of either of you two adorable men." Her hands reached out to pat them both of the shoulders, "Though, you'd have to ask my father for permission and show me what you'd be offering; a house or land. Something sustainable before he'd give his permission; I am his only daughter."_

" _If I gain such things one day, may I ask?" the first man asked, holding onto her hand, like a dying man grasping for one last shred of hope._

" _If you can." She answered, leaning back away from them, taking her hands. Her voice said one thing, but her body said another, she was playing with them. Not at all pleased in how they were treating her. "I'd say go for it."_

" _I'll win you." The second pumped his fist in the air._

" _No I will."_

" _Hey, Sayuri is marrying me." Another claimed, pushing through the crows._

" _No she promised me."_

" _We've been engaged since the academe days, she's mine."_

 _A war erupted in the pub as more men claimed the hand of the beautiful kunoichi. However only Kakashi's dark eye noticed how bored she was becoming. Looking to the heavens for a savior. As he leaned back against the wall, observing her, she suddenly tilted her head and looked him dead in the eye. Her accusing eyes playfully lightened as she caught him. He dared not look away, it was like being looked upon by god. She glowed as her whole mood changed._

 _The bartended placed a cocktail at her hands and she took it up without looking. Sliding off of the table, her long legs stretching out to catch her. Blue eyes darkened as she mischievously navigated through the crowd of rowdy men and made her way over to him. Kakashi's detached eye remained on her, never faltering nor giving anything more but that emotion away._

 _She stopped before the chair his legs were currently resting on and placed her drink on the table top designated for that seat. She noticed he hadn't even touched his own drink, the sake glass still upside down and the cork remained in the bottle. Resting her hands on her slightly boyish hips, she was clearly still a teenager, not yet finished growing into a woman. Looking at her now, she couldn't have been more than eighteen or seventeen. Was it a right for a man of twenty-one to desire a woman—kid that age?_

 _She bit down on her lip as she observed him, Kakashi immediately wanted to wrap his arms around her and kiss that lip, bite down on it, feast from her lips. She held herself like a woman, that much was true, she acted the part of an experienced lover, but she also rejected the adoration and fuss given about her. She was a contradiction. A kid, but a woman, a lover, but a runner, she was a sinner's dream but also a pure as snow saint._

 _He wanted her, everything about her. Shifting uncomfortably to hid his desire he nodded towards her in a silent greeting._

" _Sayuri Haruno," she said a little loudly, so he could hear her voice over the music and cries from the party. But he'd hear her voice from anywhere in the world._

" _Kakashi Hatake." He answered back._

" _You're not here for the party?"_

" _No,"_

" _Then why are you sitting here?"_

" _I've been coming here for years; this is my pub."_

" _Oh, I didn't know this place was taken." She chuckled, "Sorry about the noise, we actually invited only a few people but more and more just kept showing up."_

" _I noticed."_

" _You've been watching for a while." She stated, taking up her drink and sipping the green liquid gently. It could have been an erotic dance for all Kakashi knew. From the way her head tilted back, giving him a view of her neck, to how her eyes closed and her color rose from the taste of the liquor._

 _More visions of her filled his head; holding her heck in his hands as he watched her wither in ecstasy…_

" _I have." He forced, swallowing the frog in his throat._

" _So," she stated, opening her eyes, "Are you going to ask me to sit?" she motioned to the second chair._

 _He looked down at it like he'd never seen a chair before in his life. She hid her lips and chucked as he dropped his legs like a sack of potatoes and pushed the chair out for her._

" _Thank you." She cheered as she folded herself beside him, moving the chair closer to him, "this is a little cozier." She answered a question he had not asked as to why she was putting herself in his personal space. "I'm using you to hide from them." She motioned to the party, "they won't notice."_

 _Like hell the wouldn't, but now she was near him, he could smell her peaches and vanilla scent, a scent that was about to drive him crazy. He would be able to ward off her suitors if they decided to come and fetch her, if she was the type that could have been fetched. Something in her mysterious blue eyes told him she was very much the opposite. Just like how she played with the men's emotions but rejected it all._

" _You drinking that?" she motioned to his sake._

 _Looking down at it, "In a bit." He answered, feeling like he was a live wire about to blow up with her next to him._

 _She sipped the remainder of her drink, "Your reputation speaks highly of you, Kakashi Hatake."_

" _It does?" he smiled under his mask._

" _The dispassion Ninja who hides his face from the world." She spoke with a game in her tone._

" _Is that what they're calling me now?" he played her game, she very well knew what he truly was known by._

" _I think." She shrugged, "Why, where you expecting something a little more_ _ **titillating**_ _?"_

 _Great, now all Kakashi could think of was her breasts because she used the word titillating..._

" _I don't know." He played along._

" _So you're a humble one, I like that." She slid her glass towards the bar tender and stopped her order, paying out of her pocket. "I like men who don't care about their reputations like those idiots over there." She motioned with her thumb, "We're celebrating our promotions to Jōnin, and let me tell you, most just want to make a name for themselves so they'll be remembered for the next thousand years. Embarrassing."_

" _If they're worth remembering, the reputations will follow."_

" _We'll spoken." She smiled. "I think I like you more than any of them, and I've known most since I was five."_

 _A moment that felt like a lifetime passes as she smiled at him._

" _If it's your party why come over here?" he asked, seeing that they were now beginning to look for her, calling out her name drunkenly._

" _Because I chose to spend the remainder of my evening over here." She answered, keeping her attention on him and him alone._

" _Why me?" he asked, leaning into her so their conversation was more private, most mostly it was because he wanted to look closer at her lips._

" _Because you see me." She stated, smiling secretly, "You see me how I want to be seen, not as a_ _ **beautiful**_ _object or a_ _ **lust**_ _filled_ _ **fantasy**_ _."_

 _On the contrary, he fought back a scoff, all he could think about as getting her in his bed._

" _And because I see you." She stated gently, one hand touching the top of his gloved hand. Heat traveled past the protective garment and into his skin, igniting flames in his blood. His heart nearly skipped a beat and went into overdrive, "I see the mystery in you, Kakashi, and for some strange reason; I see me."_

All the men were attracted to her—flocked to her, with cream clear skin, femininity, tenacious spirit, and long pink hair; she was a temptress even at eighteen. She had said that night the women of the Haruno Clan very rarely cut their hair, only if it was a nuisance, claimed her own mother's hair was six feet onto the ground and still that very color. She joked and ignored most of the offers for dates and complements. But when her eyes landed on him, sitting far away in that pub, the shit hit the fan. It was like magic, an explosion. Fire pooled in his gut and lust filled his blood. He had never wanted any other woman in the way he wanted Sayuri. At twenty-one, he had a few experiences with woman, with his busy schedule and dangerous status; it wasn't a good idea to get involved with anyone.

She had her pick of men, not that she would out rightly state it, but for some reason she chose him. It may have not been right away, a few years into their friendship, but their feelings grew until their attraction for one another could have been cut by a knife.

Life seemed to have been perfect then; he had it all. Half of which he didn't think would have happened; a woman and a future with her…even children. When that test came back positive everything changed. She was supposed to be chaste, as she had put it, as the only daughter of a clan head, meaning she would be bartered and soled into an alliance with another clan. She had a duty and she completely bypassed it all and had been with him in all sense of the word. She was just about as wild as she was green in the ways of the world, she didn't know anything other than the village and her duties as a kunoichi, keeping the peace in the land of fire. Unlike him, she did not grow up on the battlefield, she did not watch her best friends die, nor see the true beauty of the world.

The Hatake clan was small but reputable, with The White Fang and Copy Cat Ninja apart of it. But would have it been enough for Lord Haruno, who was rumored to be vicious and spiteful as well as abusive? Sayuri was strong, she wouldn't let herself be bent by him, but could she truly live? It would have been her only adventure and he couldn't do that to her, she had so many dreams. Could he really expect her to settle down and raise their child at just twenty-four? Could she really have put up with him? He had spent nearly all of his childhood alone, he was a solidary creature even now. Could he be the type of father and husband she wanted? Or more importantly, could he get Lord Haruno's blessing?

Was The Copy Cat Ninja truly worthy of her? She didn't understand why he was so hesitant to ask for permission from the clan let along even propose to her. Love wasn't enough to go by in that situation. At least, in his mind.

They fought and fought over it and waited too long to answer those questions and nature decided for them.

Then she was gone…

Her absence only deepened the knife that was lodged in his chest from the loss of their baby. But it wasn't just a baby, it was their son. They had just found out the sex not days before. Kakashi Hatake was going to have a son. As he repeated the title; son, in his head, the knife returned in his heart. All the fantasies he created in his head about raising their blue eyed silver haired boy were ripped away from him. He would have done anything for them, been anyone, gained a backbone and demanded the right to marry her even against the clan's wishes, but saving Sayuri the pain of the miscarriage and the loss of their boy was out of his hands.

He remembered when she had placed his hand onto the light swell of her belly, just when she was showing. Her skin was even more heated than normal, it even glowed with the love inside of her. She was even more beautiful at that moment. As he reached out with invisible chakra strings, deep down into her body, he felt their boy growing. He had walked into the bathroom and cried the first time he felt the strange chakra that also felt so familiar to his own. He memorized every inch of that child's growing body, using his imagination to create the fully developed babe he would had been once born from that simple three-month old map.

He had never loved anything so quickly and deeply than he had loved their boy.

But life, especially for Kakashi, was never kind nor simple. He regretted much of his actions, but most of all he despised his lack of courage. He was fearful of little, but the thought of take away her future as a kunoichi was fucking ridiculous. But he was right, she would have resented him later on. But now it's not like they had any say in the matter.

Sayuri's body tightened and her breathing changed. Realizing she was coming awake Kakashi rolled over until he was holding himself up above her, most of his body resting onto her.

"Hmmm?" she hummed as she moved her arms up and under the pillow she rested atop of, feeling one of his hands pull her hair away from her shoulder, lips kissed openly across her skin making her smile as she came awake. "Oh, I like this wakeup call." She rasped, her voice hoarse from remaining unused for a few hours. Her gentle blue eyes opened, "better than I've gotten in years, and I've been in the lap of luxury."

"Don't talk about that." He ordered against her skin, breathing in deeply her scent.

"What ungodly hour is it?" she asked, shifting to look over her shoulder at him.

"Nearly six in the morning."

"Wow," she huffed, one hand ran through the top half of her hair, moving it out of her face, eyes darted all around the room, "Can we stay here forever? Like this?"

"Just like this?" he asked, pressing himself fully into her.

"Sure." She breathed, "Maybe with less pressure on my sternum?" she wiggled under him, placing his forearms onto the mattress he lifted himself off of her, "The rest can all stay just the way it is."

Slipping his arms under her body, holding her to him, chest to back, "Did you mean it?" he asked, rolling with her, making them both face the ceiling. "What you said last night?"

Sighing, Sayuri shifted until she was draped across Kakashi's chest, her hair covering them like a second blanket. Folding her hands under her chin she looked down at him with half cased eyes, "I did; if I don't get reassigned soon, my father will take the opportunity to make an alliance. Sakura is too young to marry; the clan is supposedly desperate for an alliance inside or outside the village. I am the only option."

"Such a thing is archaic, relying on a marriage alliance. No clan would truly agree to it."

"To a clan as old and responsible as mine, it is." Closing her eyes, she frowned, "there is no escaping it."

"Of course there is." His hand ran through the strands of hair at the side of her face, pushing them back behind her ear.

"We kept us a secret for this very reason, Kakashi, I know my father. He won't…I've pissed him off enough by running away."

"What if I asked you to marry me?"

Shaking her head, she chuckled sadly, "too little; too late my love. We had our chance years ago. I think nature showed us that it wasn't meant to be. Besides you have too much to deal with, Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, not to mention looking after my niece. Pulling you into clan business wouldn't be a good idea."

"Don't take another SIA mission?" He asked, cupping her cheek, pulling her closer, "Take anything but a Kunoichi mission, please?"

"I'm not your minor counterpart, Kakashi, I am the Utsukushi-sa, I am known for kunoichi missions, they're what I am good at. I am not strong nor am I capable in fast battle; have my body and my mind."

"You have me, you've always had me, Sayuri."

"Did I?"

"Yes, always."

"Oh Kakashi." She said leaning down to kiss him on the lips, "if only…"

"Trust me, Sayuri."

"I do." She breathed, "But it's the rest of the world I do not trust."

* * *

"Good morning." Sayuri greeted the two men currently sleeping at the threshold of her apartment door. They both jumped up at her voice and shook their heads to gain their bearings. They were both from the cadet branch of the family, fifth or sixth cousins, dark haired and eyed. Both dressed in the typical Chūnin, but on their backs she was sure there was a Haruno crest. Hiding her lips, she laughed at how confused they were, "Awe do we need our coffee?"

"Lady Sayuri, you are requested to appear before the Lord Haruno at once." One of them spoke hastily.

"Oh, at once?" she mocked his tone, raising her brow. "That sounds so serious."

"Please Lady Sayuri." The other asked in a calmer tone, "we've been waiting for the whole night."

"And I have a meeting with the Hokage in a few minutes." She said, looking at her empty wrist, "So if you don't mind I have to get changed and go to that."

"We have direct orders."

"As do I," she mocked their tones before pushing past them and unlocking her door.

"We're sorry to do this..." one of them dared to touch her shoulder.

Lighting fast, Sayuri turning into the offending cousin and quickly touched different pressure points on his body, immobilizing him before kicking him away. The other did not fair too well, she had him passed out by touching the point on the back of his neck and pushing him away from her like she did the other. In a matter of seconds, she had knocked out her own cousins and was gently pushing open her apartment door.

Once inside she inspected her neighbor's handy word of keeping her apartment dusted. It did look to bad. Walking into her closet she took out another one of her ninja outfits and pulled it out of the plastic. It smelled as clean as the day she packed everything away. She had showered at Kakashi's so she just changed her clothing, brushed out and braided her hair, and was on her way in a matter of minutes. The two men were still knocked out on the walkway as she left. Her elderly neighbor who had been taking care of the place was standing at her door looking at them.

"Good morning." She greeted with a wave, "Don't mind them." She laughed stepping over them with ease.

"Sayuri!" Sakura's voice called out from the training field.

Stopping in her tracks she found all of Team Kakashi standing in the field, looking a little worse for ware, with a large amount of Naruto Shadow clones, and a white bird. Smiling, "Good morning all." She called down to them.

"Hey, Sayuri, come down and train with us?" Naruto nervously called as all his closed disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

"I don't know; I have to get to the Hokage tower soon." That got Kakashi's attention as he leaned against a tree, reading a new book, instead of the red soft cover he was reading yesterday, he was holding a purple one. He peered up from his read at her words and glared at her in his own way. Just that morning, right before they made love, he told her to hold back on being reassigned, little did he know she had already put in a request form.

"Come on, we haven't worked together in a long time." Sakura called again, "it will be just like the old days, only I won't fall for any of your genjutsu." She showed off her bicep muscle to emphasize how strong she was.

Weighing her options, Sayuri sighed, "Only for a bit." She gave in and started to walked down the slight hill towards them. Naruto jumped up and cheered because of her agreement. Sai was sitting on the ground with his sketchpad open, lost in his own world.

"Lady Sayuri." A new voice said stopping Sayuri as she reached the squad.

"Oh, it's you." She gasped as Jirayia appeared beside her, smiling down at her like a creep about to get a bloody nose. "Hello Jirayia." She greeted stepping away from his clammy and grabby hands as he drooled over her, paying him no real mind. She then spotted the title of the book Kakashi was reading, "How's the new book?" she asked, a little annoyed he had done such a thing.

"My newest best seller." The perverted sage laughed, crossing his arms over his chest, "My publishers think I have a new series on my hands."

"That's great, as long as you can get your research done?" she mocked, running her hand over the lose strands of hair on her forehead, "I must say you are a salve to your art in that matter."

"Oh so you noticed?"

"Of course I did." She rolled her eyes, "Kind of hard to not notice now; _authentic_ your stories are."

"Well thank you, if you have time, could I send you a copy of _Deadly Mistress_ so you could read it as well?"

"Actually I don't have time." She said, "Sorry."

"Awe, you'd enjoy the story."

"I have plenty of my own to keep myself entertained." She stepped away from him and towards Naruto and Sakura, "So, we doing this?"

"Sure! I'm with you first!" Naruto stopped Sakura from speaking and literally jumped on Sayuri, "I'm so happy you're here, this is going to be so much fun."

"Okay," she agreed, "You're too adorable."

"Tee-hee, ya here that Sai? I'm still _adorable_." Naruto pointed towards himself and made Sayuri smile, "and you're just cute."

"None of that." Sayuri stopped him, taking his hand away from his chest and loosening his fist to stop him from pointing, Naruto turned bright beat colored as he realized Sayuri was holding his hand, "Don't make fun of your teammate, Naruto."

"Ah…yes ma'am."

She beamed brightly towards him. "So, what are we doing?" Naruto nearly fell over, "You claimed first, so what will it be?"

"Ah…do you want to…show me some genjutsu, you said you're good at those."

"How about we have an actual ninja battle, I haven't really stretched my muscles like that in a long time?"

"Ah…you want to…fight?" _Ahahahaha! She wants to fight! There is no way she'd actually want to fight me…_

Sakura laughed, "Yeah, I want to see that. Years ago she'd literally disarm me and throw me down, I haven't seen her fight against anyone else."

"But you…you…you…" _What the hell is happening? She's so delicate and beautiful there is no way she'd stand against me, I'd cream her. But then; I'd be beating up a girl. A girl! How embarrassing, me hitting a girl. That's not fair on her part._

"Don't make the excise that I'm a girl so I can't fight." Sayuri chuckled, reading his mind. "I'm a Jōnin the same as Kakashi, just because I look the way I do doesn't mean I can't take care of business, Naruto." She waved her finger at him like he was a child getting into trouble. "You don't treat Sakura that way do you?"

"Ah…n-n-no."

"Good." She turned her back on him, "let's start this at fifteen paces, shall we?" she started to count off from their mutual ground.

The others vacated the area as Naruto took his stance, staring at Sayuri who just stood there looked so beautiful and innocent. The wind blew gently past her, the fabric of her dress rustled just a bit as did the few locks of hair that were free from her braid. Absently she moved a hand to touch them, closing her eyes. The anticipation ebbed as Naruto pushed off and ran towards her, deciding to only use hand to hand combat on her, as to not hurt her.

Battle cry on his lips he entered Sayuri's personal space as she started to open her eyes, she was done for. But suddenly she was at his side, pressing her hands into his stomach, and then a finger into his side, and three more fingers touched the base of his neck and behind his ears. Stunned Naruto made to jump away, but his limbs were frozen.

"What?" he cried out when he couldn't feel his body. He was literally frozen in place, maneuvered how Sayuri had placed him. taking her fingers away from his ears she laughed hiding her lips behind the back of her hand as she stepped back. _I can't move…I can't even feel my toes…_

"Got ya." She chuckled.

Jirayia clapped and cheered for Sayuri, his eyes as wide as serving palters, "You are fantastic milady, just fantastic; your reputation is just as spot on as the rumors of your beauty. For once gossip was right. Naruto I trained you better!" he growled his disappointment towards Naruto who continued to gawk at her.

"I told you not to judge me because of how sweet and innocent I look. I could have killed you at any moment there." She winked playfully, "But your quick and daring, I'll give you that, sweetie."

"Hell yes!" Sakura cheered, "I knew he didn't stand a chance."

"How is that possible, there is no way, what did you do to me? Kakashi, is she using a genjutsu or something?" he growled towards his sensei who was too busing reading the new book Jirayia had given him when he arrived that morning. "How did she…" _she is too beautiful to be this strong…_

"You don't get it Naruto," Kakashi chimed in, closing his book as he stepped towards his immobile student, "Sayuri isn't just an everyday Jōnin, she's an elite, a Tokubetsu Jōnin who has a special set of skills that make her above typical Jōnin. Much like me."

Nodding her head in agreement with Kakashi, she stepped back into him to look Naruto in the eye. "You didn't see it; I have a mastery of the human body. You're covered in pressure points and I know how to activate each one of them in different ways to make the body do what I want. I can even kill you with a simple touch. That's why I am so valuable on Kunoichi missions…" she stepped into him and took his hand, looking down at his wrist, "I can make you do anything I want, even make you my salve." She pressed her two fingers into his wrist and suddenly Naruto felt weak at the knees and loosened, nearly falling over hand she not been holding him at the arm. "You are putty in my hands." moving into him, she used her smaller side to slid up into his chest and elbow him in the neck, making the air in his lunge freeze, pulling back on his arm she pivoted on the ball of her foot and kicked him square in the stomach, sending him flying, letting him slip from her hands.

"That's how it's done, Sakura." She said, dusting off her hands before turning towards her niece, "exactly like that."

"Is that what you usually do?"

"With difficult ones no, but the easy targets, just to make them loopy and pliable."

"Cool!"

"You okay, Naruto?" She called out to the boy who was regaining his wits on the ground, "Sorry but you were the overzealous one and walked right into it."

"Yeah, yeah, I know." He grunted as he stood, "I guess it was a total 'book by its cover' thing?"

"Exactly."

"You'll have to show me how to avoided moves like that?"

Smiling, "One day, I promise, but I really have to get going."

"Awe, but you just got here…please?"

"Another time, I promise." She smiled, "I really have to go." She announced, turning on her heel, touching the top of Sakura's head before starting to walk off. "See you around, Jirayia." She whispered hotly to the sage who nearly fell over giggling like a little girl and started to wring his hands together, muttering under his breath 'research' over and over again.

"Enjoy your day, Sayuri." Kakashi said as he opened his book once again, giving her only half his attention.

"Thank you, Kakashi." She stopped her tracks and turned towards him, knowing he was watching, "Enjoy your book, I heard it's **titillating**." She smiled, reminding him of the night they met.

"It is, you should read it, you'd like the heroine."

"No thanks." She smiled, turning away from him to head back up the hill.

"Your shadows are back." He called out to her, "In case you didn't notice."

"Thanks." She muttered keeping her pace up to the top of the hill, finding her unfortunate cousins standing at the top, waiting for her, "Good morning again boys, how are we?"

They didn't answer.

"Come boys," she slapped the side of her thigh like she was calling puppies, "we'll all go to the Hokage tower and then head to the compound, I promise. I was just playing with you two."

They followed her in a huff.

* * *

"Hey," Naruto sighed as they finished their training for the day, heading off with Sakura to get some food, "Did you notice those men following your aunt around after she left earlier today?"

Sakura pursed her lips, "Come to think of it, I did notice. They're from the clan."

"Your clan? But they didn't look like you?"

"Only the main branch of the family has pink hair, it's a genetic thing, but only my grandmother, dad, Sayuri, and I have pink hair anyway so it's kind of a dying trait."

"So why where they following her?"

"Grandfather is desperate to speak with her, she's been gone so long, plus he's dying."

"You don't sound upset about that?"

"Well I'm not really close to him, my dad and him don't get along, plus my mom wasn't his pick for a bride, so they moved out of the clan compound before I was born. My other uncles are loyal to a fault to him, he's a mean old man. Sayuri was raised mostly with my family so you can see why she wanted to be away for so long. Grandfather probably had those cousins following her around all day until she gave in and went home."

"So what does he want?"

"For her to fulfill her obligation to the clan, whatever that is, he probably wants her to take a harder interest in the village instead of running off on crazy missions like her last one. But she probably won't give in."

"Isn't her devotion to the village enough?"

"Yeah, that's true, we should put the village above clan matters, but my grandfather is old-fashioned."

"That's terrible."

"hey…" Sakura stopped in her tracks, holding out her hand, "look…" a feather dropped into her hand.

"What is it?" Naruto peered down at the dove father, "Is it Tsunade calling you?"

"No, it's a dove feather, there is a meeting of the clans tonight." She stated with sure green eyes.

"Meeting of the Clans? Oh gosh that sounds important?"

"It is, they rarely happen, the last one was to discuss who should be Hokage with the elders."

"Can I go?" he pointed towards himself, "Please, I've never seen anything like this, come on?"

"You're not a member any clan, Naruto. They'd throw you out."

"I can be really sneaky, don't you worry about it!" he threw up a sign and transformed in a cloud of smoke, taking on the form of her mother, "See, one Haruno! It's perfect."

"This is going to end badly…" Sakura whimpered, watching as Naruto's image nearly retook. Giving in she led the way towards the clan's meeting arena, deep in the forest and away from the village. Naruto kept giggling and jumping for joy at the thought of witnessing a super-secret gathering of the clans. Something he's never even heard about. All his giddiness was taking away from his chakra control and the henge was slipping. "Naruto If you want to tag along at least mimic my mother's form correctly?" Sakura sighed as they walked into the arena, blushing at the shit job Naruto had done copying her mother's form. "This is clan business, only the ten clans of Konoha have been summoned, it'd be a disgrace to have you here."

"Don't worry, let my chakra warm up and it'd will be good."

"I hope so."

"Wow, Shikamaru is here too," Naruto gasped as he noticed the Nara clan already seated, mostly men. "And the Yamanaka Clan too…Senju…Achimichi…and…. Kakashi Sensei!" he gasped upon seeing Kakashi sitting amongst the clans, surrounded by five other silver haired men around the same age, leaning back into the seats and reading.

"He is a member of the Hatake clan." Sakura sighed, "Come on before my grandfather appears, just stay out of sight,"

"Okay!"

"Ah, there you two are." Kizashi greeted from the Haruno side of the stand, under the clan crest, "I was thinking you went on a mission dear?"

Naruto didn't realize Kizashi was speaking to him until Sakura stepped on his foot, "Oh me? Nope."

"Well good, we should get dinner after."

"Okay," he laughed, "Sounds great…ah—dear." Sweating a little Naruto moved to sit down, avoiding Kizashi's hands as they attempted to wrap around his back and pull his wife lovingly against him. But he slid over to Sakura and leaned against her, hoping for protection.

"Lord Haruno," Lady Tsunade called forth the attention of the clans as she stepped away from her clan's section, "You have called the summit of the clans, we now give you the floor."

Lord Haruno appeared aided by two young men, who looked a lot like Kizashi, maybe they were his younger brothers? He was greying and feeble, his white hair cut short and smoothed down. Dressed in all white with a red 'O' Haruno crest on his chest. His sons held him still until he got his stability and then leaned down onto his walking stick and dismissed them. He bowed his head at the neck slowly and the clans all returned his curt greeting.

He caught before speaking, violently, he sounded like death.

"As you all may know, the Haruno Clan is of old blood, connected to the very foundations of the Village itself. We have found ourselves in the last few generations to be few and unable to be represented in the clans in the last few years. In my last few years I wish to remedy this situation by offering an alliance of marriage." He held out his shaking hand, bringing forth Sayuri who entered the ring from the shadows dressed in the ancient garb of a princess on her wedding day. Her eyes cast down, emotion and spirit drained from her face. Sakura shuttered at seeing her aunt like that. Beside her, Kizashi groaned and shook his head.

Taking her father's hand, "As you may know, my daughter Sayuri is of marriage age, and is known throughout the shinobi world for her beauty. Known as The Utsukushi-sa of Konoha. I could have offered her to any Daimyō or outside village, but I have chosen a clan from our own village. Sayuri will marry one of your sons."

Words erupted the man, screams and shouts of men wanting to know the terms of the alliances and the security of the proposed marriage. Lady Tsunade could only hit her fist on the wall to make everything shake, silencing them.

"In my last few years I have inspected the prospects and have come to determine the husband of my only daughter. The clan we have chosen to align ourselves with is the Shiranui Clan." The members of that clan all stood in surprise.

Sakura too gasped, they were a lesser clan, only considered one of the ten clans of the village as the Uchiha Clan was no more…

"The husband of Sayuri will be the grandson of the Lady Shiranui, Genma Shiranui."

the brown haired ninja with the oral fixation gasped, his sinbon falling from his lips as his male relatives and grandmother all turned to look at him. the rest of the clans fell silent as all eyes landed on him. Genma gulped as he stood up from his seat. Lady Shiranui touched his arm as he started to walk into the arena. Sayuri did not react to the man coming closer, but when he stood before him, she bowed gently at the waist and greeted her husband to be.

"My fiancé." She whispered as she stood back up straight, opening her now sad eyes.

Genma blushed as he looked down at her, but then bowed in respect to her and then towards Lord Haruno.

Sayuri looked away when her father's shaking hand griped hers and forced her to give it over to the flabbergasted Genma. She looked so lonely and sad, but hid it as best as she could.

"Poor Sayuri…" Sakura whispered, hiding her lips with her hand, "she doesn't want to marry him… papa, why is grandfather forcing her to marry?"

"Because she is his only bargaining chip, the Shiranui clan has ties to the military police, or what's left of it, grandfather hopes to take over where the Uchiha left off and install many of the cadet cousins into it."

"So he's using her for a selfish gain?"

"For a clan, gain." Kizashi corrected, running his hand lovingly over her hair, "It is an old practice and one day, when I succeed, you will have nothing to worry about."

"I'm worried about Aunt Sayuri."

"She can take care of herself."

From his seat with his cousins, Kakashi tightened his fists, the pain only dulled the jealousy he was feeling as he watched Genma kiss the side of Sayuri's cheek. How she let him, leaning into him, keeping their hands folded together. The pain of watching her stand up there receiving well wishes was almost too much to bear. He should have let her go when she had the chance, let her take another kunoichi mission to save her. But he was too worried about her leaving him again to see that the pain of not being able to have her was just as hurtful.

She looked at him with empty eyes, begging for him to save her. To challenge the Lord's decree and the clan's approvals. But he wouldn't. That action would start a war between the clans, taking away the ninja's devotion to the village. That is priority one to a shinobi, a ninja must be loyal to the village about all others. Never to one person. She knew this, but still watching it, he'd rather face his greatest foe blinded than watch this.

He wanted to run over there and take her away, just run away with her.

This was all his fault.

And he fucking knew it.

It was his clan's turn to wish the newly engaged couple well. He stood with his cousins and bowed towards lord Haruno and then shook Genma's hand. He snubbed her, it was the only way anyone would survive this. She tried to get his attention with deep blue eyes, desperate for his attention, for his assurance. But he refused to give it to her.

His heart hurt, as if it was being carved out of his chest with a blunt knife.

Turning his back he walked away, knowing he was hurting her. But he couldn't stay there any longer. The only logical thing to do after that was to get shitfaced.

* * *

Sayuri threw open her bedroom door and screamed as she pulled the kimono off. She couldn't contain the rage she was feeling any longer. Tearing off the material and pulling out even some of her hair she stood in her underclothes and cried. Her tears fell as strongly as the rain outside her window. Covering her face with her hands she sunk to the floor surrounded by all the silks and fabric. She shouldn't have come back. She should have gone rogue.

She should have left, she should have followed her heart and married Kakashi, none of this would be happening. Even after the…miscarriage, she still wanted to marry him. One hand found the lower part of her stomach and pressed into it, feeling nothing, but remembering where life had been growing inside of her once. Happiness was never hers to begin with.

Born to older parents who had never really wanted her to begin with, treated as nothing more than an adornment to be given to someone with the highest bid. She had a man who loved her, who looked past the vain beauty of her body and into her sole. A man who had helped to create life within her, to only had nature take that away. She was a ninja who was used only for her beauty. Her only talent was in seduction. What kind of life is that? To be a goddess; a sex symbol, but to never have love beyond sex.

To be unable to do the one thing a woman should be able to do.

The doctors told her she would go on to have healthy children even after the miscarriage of her son, but the thought of any other man fathering a child with her, it was degrading. She had known Genma for years, he was a respectable man and shinobi, he was an elite like her. He should be a good match, just not for her. She would never want him, he would only want her for the status, or being married to one of the most beautiful women in the shinobi world.

Fisting her hair, she fell onto her stomach, biting down on her lips. Cursed with beauty, born cursed. She was more than that, but only one saw past it. There was only one who saw the sole living trapped in such a gilded cage.

Kakashi.

She'd never get over him.

She bore her torment inward, he expressed his anguish out rightly. They were both haunted by the past, by the future, and by themselves. Two torn pieces of the same cloth. No one understood like they did for each other. Remembering back in her Chūnin days, she thought about the time where she contemplated killing herself, it would have been easier to end the life on one so miserable than to keep on living. She even thought about killing the people around her instead of taking her own life. Her father in particular, who treated her like a fine piece of silk, making her ready to be traded.

Rolling onto her back she looked up into the light reflecting onto her ceiling, lifting up her arm she pulled some of her hair up with her. The sign of her beauty, her coveted cherry blossom hair. Envied by most, possessed by few. She always hated her hair color. It made her stand out, it made her more beautiful. If she could, she'd cut it all off, dye it black as the night, and slash her face to get rid of the curse.

Taking in a deep breath she realized how slowly her heart was beating. She wanted to scream, but swallowed back the sound and pushed it deep into herself. She'd never show weakness, ever. She was the Utsukushi-sa, she had to be strong in all the ways. She had to make it. A few more days and Tsunade would send her away again, and hopefully her father would die in that time and the agreement would be dissolved.

Did she really want to leave?

Could she leave?

Should she?

So many things bounced in her head she didn't know which one to pick. Why was life such a bitch?

Pushing up from the floor she stumbled across the room and into her bathroom. Turning on the shower, making sure it was flaming hot, she removed the rest of her clothes and looked at herself on the floor length mirror. Disgusted in her appearance. Unbinding her hair, she hid behind it, that was the only thing it was good for, nearly to the floor. Looking at her face, how she hated herself. She wouldn't wish this curse on anyone else.

Somehow scissors ended up in her hand, the cold metal bit into the skin of her palm. Placing the blade against her cheek she leaned into the feeling of the metal. Thinking, wrist, neck, thigh, under the arm…so many possibilities. She could do it so easily.

Lovingly she traced the outline of her lip with the tip, feeling it pick her sensitive skin. Running it down her neck to her major artery, sliding her fingers into the holes. It would be so easy.

"Sayuri!" Kakashi's voice echoed in her tile bathroom, scaring her. She opened her eyes to see him, drenched, stalking up to her, taking the scissors away from her hand violently. "Don't you dare think about it." He threw them away, clanking on the floor. His headband was up, his Sharingan spinning wildly expecting danger.

She didn't know what to say as he griped her shoulders, shaking her. Lips quivered as she peered into his mismatched eyes, knowing she would have regretted the decision to kill herself. Shaking she leaned into him, hiding her face into his vest. His hands incased her back holding her to him, giving her his strength.

"I'm sorry…" she whispered into him, listening to his erratic heartbeat. "I am so sorry…"

"No," Kakashi corrected, "I'm sorry, Sayuri." His hands wound their way through her hair and pulled her head back, "I should have never let you go."

"There were a lot of things that we both should have done. But loving each other is the only thing that matters." Running her hands over his neck she looked deeply at him, noticing how clouded his true eye was. Hooking her pointer fingers into his mask he didn't stop her as she pulled it down. Rising up onto her toes she kissed him.

Sparks flew as their lips touched, his whole body wrapped around hers as he deepened the kiss, he tasted of fire and sake. He had been drinking, heavily by the taste of it, it took a lot to get him drunk to begin with. Wrapping her hands around his neck she pulled him down to her, intertwining their tongues together as she skillfully untied his forehead protector, it fell between them. His hands touched all the curves of her naked body while she undressed him without breaking their kiss, she was after all skilled.

When they were both naked, Kakashi was putty in her hands as she led him into her tiny shower, not exactly big enough for the both of them. They fell against the white tile under the hot spray in a tangle of limbs. Wrapping her legs around his waist as his lips devoured her neck Sayuri reached up to angle the spray away from them. Not that the temperature was felt by them.

"I love you…" She whispered into his ear as she held him to her chest, "I would die before I stayed away from you…"

"I'd kill anyone who tried to keep you from me." He answered her, looking up into her eyes, tightening his hold on her wait. "Marry me? Tomorrow, before your next mission?"

Before she could answer she felt him rub himself against her heat, moaning she threw her head back as pleasure pooled in her belly. "You're asking me to betray my devotion to the village and my clan?" she sucked in a slow breath.

Groaning as he did it again, "I'm asking you, to marry me, Sayuri." He gritted his teeth as the overwhelming urge to press into her overtook him.

"We're both insane." She gasped as he filled her, their moans filled the shower and echoed off the tile, she held onto him tightly, "oh Kakashi…" she looked to the ceiling as he hid his face in her chest, giving over to his animal desire for her body, and she let him take.

Sex with him was always a little dangerous, with his Sharingan spinning. But it was always delicious, toe curling happy sobbing delicious. Four long years without his body and she'd never get enough of him. he would always be an attentive lover, always caring and gentle, but with a sharp edge of wrong tied in the mix. He loved her like they had never been apart. Worshiping her body, but not for the beauty she held, but for their connection, the souls they shared with each other.

Wrapping her exhausted limbs around him she allowed him to carry her from the bathroom and onto her bed, falling down with her soaking wet. Innocent touched and chaste kissed followed as they both came down from the high of their love. He still tasted of booze and she still had the dark cloud above her.

As Kakashi wrapped himself around her, resting his head in the crook of her shoulder she listened to his breath. The storm inside of her had calmed, all because of him. kissing the outside of his hand she turned in his embrace, finding he was still awake. They looked at each other in the darkness of her room.

"yes…" she whispered.

* * *

Two weeks later…

"What?" Tsunade gasped as she stood up at her desk nearly doubling over, "Say that again?" she demanded. The sun hadn't even rose behind her and she always wished the day was over.

"We'd like for you to marry us." Kakashi said again as he and Sayuri stood together before her desk, "immediately before she goes on her next mission."

"This is a joke, isn't it?"

"Not at all." Sayuri laughed, stepping into Kakashi's side, "We've been in love with each other for a few years now."

"A few years; love…Kakashi Hatake and Sayuri Haruno?" She stated very slowly as to get the idea through her own mind. "You kept this relationship a secret I trust?"

"Yes," Sayuri continued, "More for me than for him, you know how my father is. With this forced engagement we'd rather go above clan laws. Because we're both ninja, you have jurisdiction in this matter."

"I still can't get over this…its actually quite amazing. You sure you both want to go through with this?"

"Yes," Kakashi answered for them.

"Absolutely."

"Okay then," She sat back down and looked over her desk, opening drawers and pushed papers around, still a little shaken. "I haven't had to perform civil shinobi marriages in a while. Ah, here we are." She found the paper she was looking for and slid it over to them, "Sign your names, fill out the other answers, and all you need is my seal of approval and you'll be married."

"Perfect." Sayuri smiled, stepping forward.

"I'm still very surprised at this event, I had no idea…you don't seem like the type of person to even be in a relationship, Kakashi."

"I get it." He sighed, placing his hands into his pockets nonviolently, "no one knows."

"And you understand what you're getting into?"

"Yes."

"Good." Sayuri laughed as she signed her name in perfect calligraphy, handing over the inked brush to him.

Taking the brush into his hand he leaned down to sign his own name. Sayuri fidgeted at his side and hid her lips as she giggled like a kid as he replaced the brush in the ink well. together they watched as Lady Hokage pulled the paper back and overlooked the names and other miscellaneous things.

"I am guessing this marriage will have to remain a secret until the clan's engagement can be dissolved." She said more to herself than asking them, "Will you be changing your surname, Sayuri?"

"Um…" she eyed Kakashi who shrugged his answer, "not right away…"

"Got it." She picked up her personalized seal and reached it in red ink a few times before pressing it into their marriage certificate with a powerful thud. "By the power invested in me as the Fifth Hokage, I acknowledged your union, a contract that not even the ten clans of Konoha can break."

Blushing Sayuri clenched her hand over her chest, pressing into her skin, breaking in a sigh of relief. Kakashi noticed how the rock in her chest was removed. Reaching out with his left hand he took hers and laced their fingers together. Offering a simple motion to her, which spoke one thousand words to her. Tsunade watched as they exchanged a simple act. She knew Kakashi was only affectionate to those he deemed worth, but seeing this, reaching out to someone with a completely different emotion. It was humbling to see it.

Sayuri smiled gently and bowed her head towards Tsunade. "Thank you very much, Lady Tsunade."

"You are very welcome, Lady Sayuri." She answered Sayuri's tone with the same humbled emotion. "I am sorry you have been assigned to another infiltration mission, had I known…"

"I chose it." Sayuri corrected her. "I have to live with my choices, we didn't even know we'd get married. Or even back together for that matter."

"And you're both okay with this? You've just gotten married a now you're leaving for an extended period of time."

"Kakashi?" Sayuri slid the question over to him.

Shrugging, "I know who she is and what she's capable of, she can take care of herself."

"And I'm confident in him." Sayuri agreed, taking their laced hands and placing them against her heart, "we know and trust each other, we can survive this."

"As long as you think you can." She held up their certificate, rolled up and tied with an official tag. "Congratulations and best of luck to you two."

Kakashi was the one who took it, "Thank you."

Together they left the Hokage tower side by side. Kakashi would keep the scroll in his safety deposit box. They took the long way around the village towards the main gate. Sayuri had to rendezvous with another kunoichi in the land of wind, together they would create the next step of their plan. She wouldn't tell him the details earlier that morning, but then again he would never ask. For her missions, secrecy was key. He'd never endanger her.

At the gate, she shook his hand like a friend, however she looked up at him with so much love. "We'll talk when I get back?"

"Yes." He agreed, wanting to desperately run his hands though her hair. "I'd say we'd keep in touch, but I don't think that's an option."

"I'm sorry I went back on my promise."

"You were desperate, I understand."

"I'll send word when I'm returning."

"I'll wait."

"You know," she rolled her eyes, "It's usually the woman who waits for the man while he goes off on his seed sowing adventures."

"For you, I'd wait until the end of time."

"Thank you…"

"I love you, Sayuri."

"I love you too. You be careful. I have a bad feeling about the coming future. Take care of yourself."

"I will."

She listed to the wind behind her as the sun rose higher in the sky, "I don't want to go."

"You have too."

Taking in a deep breath she nodded, "Last time." She said, "this is the last one."

"You're not running away at least this time."

"And we know where we stand."

"So go."

"…okay…" she licked her lips, "enjoy your new book by the way, I assure you unless Jirayia follows me to Wind, there will not be a sequel." He smirked, his one eye closing, obvasley enjoying the face that the main character of the new book was her. "Bye." Turning her back to him she steadied her heart and walked away towards her next destination.

Kakashi watched with a quiet resolve as his wife, his wife, walked away from him. but she would walk back to him one day, hopefully soon. Tightening his hands in his pockets he watched as the wind lifted her long pink hair, dancing in the wind. Thinking how safe and secure he felt, knowing. He remembered when Minato had made him ANBU, hoping to heal his damaged heart, but the pain only continued until it was overwhelming. Little did he know all that pain would disappear when a young woman walked into his life. Over time, his damaged heart began to heal, and he felt safe and home. He felt hope.

He felt free.

* * *

Enjoy!

Page count: 22

Word count: 10511


	3. Chapter 3

llwild1992 (2016)

Rating: M (Sexual content)

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Paring: Kakashi/OC

Arthur's note: I have no idea where this came from, it just was there and it needed to be written. In all honesty, Kakashi is my favorite character (Spoiler) and I felt really bad that he didn't have a love at the end of the manga, I mean, he deserves some love. Please enjoy and tell me what ya think.

A Ninja's Devotion

Chapter 3

* * *

"Really Kakashi, why do you think Lady Tsunade sent us on this mission?" Guy asked as they walked through the darkened forest, their only light the moon.

"I guess she wanted to make sure the kunoichi was successfully extracted before the war breaks out." Kakashi deadpanned as he navigated through the darkness. Annoyed that Guy was his second on this mission. He could have gone alone. Should have gone alone.

Guy sighed like a diva, "But assuming she's a Jōnin, she should be capable of ending her mission and getting out on her own. Not that I'm looking down on a kunoichi skill."

"She's probably in too deep, hasn't even heard any word from the village about what's going on."

"So, who do you think it is?" Guy smiled deeply, a flush starting to form on his lips. "I wonder if it's Jai Momo, she's got the most amazing legs on her."

Kakashi sighed, "Seriously Guy, whoever she is, she's a ninja." She is an asset to the village and should be treated as such.

"I know that, but the kunoichis chosen to be infiltrators are some of the most beautiful creatures in the world. Untouchable to mere men like us. Much like the Utsukushi-sa; a goddess. I could hardly believe that was her two years ago, walking right in front of me. Damn it Kakashi you shouldn't have stopped me. I could have gotten a goddess in human form to look at me." He made a fist before his heart and fire burned in his eyes, "I would die one thousand deaths to have but a moment of her time. Not only is she beautiful; she was perfection in every way."

"She wouldn't have responded to your advances anyhow, Guy."

"You think?" he gasped, "Am I too aggressive?"

"She doesn't like being treated how you described her." He corrected, keeping his hands in his pockets, a little peeved at how Guy was speaking about Sayuri. "I'm sure most Kunoichi in her situation wouldn't like being held up on a pedestal like that."

"I guess you're right." Guy huffed, his fire dying, "I wish it would the Utsukushi-sa…"

"It probably won't be her, I heard she was in Wind." He hoped she was in Wind, somewhere safe. He had not seen her in just under two years.

Like she had said, there was no news from her, not a single word. She was totally devoted to her mission, had to be, or else it was certain death. They had survived four years without a word, however they were not married then. Granted they had not expected to marry in a hurry or in such secrecy.

Sighing, he regretted the urgency. But he wouldn't have changed how it happened.

"We're coming up on the tea house, intel reports that the kunoichi and her target frequent this place every Sunday." Guy said as he looked down at the intel scroll. "We should put a henge on ourselves so we don't appear like ninja."

The tea house was full of music and life. As if nothing had happened in the world of the ninja. Men laughed and drank with women all around them. Half dressed women danced with the music, using fans and silk scarves. _Debary_ , Kakashi thought. These men lived debauched lives with all the money in the world. They cared nothing for what was going on in the outside world. They didn't care that a war was coming.

Hiding their true forms to the untrained eye, the two men walked through the teahouse, slipping past the samurai guards and into the inner sanctum. Women draped across men's laps, playing instruments, half dressed and in a state of drunkenness, serving drinks, and laughing. Each of the women were beautiful. All dressed and done up, it would be hard to tell who the kunoichi was if she was well hidden.

Uncovering his Sharingan, Kakashi looked thoroughly at each of the women, until he heard a familiar laugh come from the side. His whole being shivered and went cold at hearing it. Stopping Guy from entering any further into the room, he turned and found her.

Hanging off of the arm of a middle-aged man, drowning himself and drink and running his fat finger up and down her exposed shoulder, laughing with his friends and their women. He slurred his words and spoke loudly. All the while she, dressed like a courtesan in a blue kimono the color of her impossible eyes, sat next to him, supplying the drink while she hung on his every word. A perfect actress, playing the part of a diligent lover. To anyone's untrained eye, she was just stroking the side if his neck, but to his Sharingan, she was pressing on the right points to hurry the night of drinking along, to keep him happy and pliant as she manipulated him.

Her long pink hair swayed at her back, some of it had been styled in the front to give her bangs. Her makeup was minimal; it didn't take a lot to make her beautiful. Seeing her for the first time in a year and seven months was like a man wandering the desert seeing an oasis full of fresh water. Amazing, even humbling.

Reminding him of the times when he would look at her while she was occupied.

 _Entering her apartment discreetly, Kakashi quickly managed to find her. When she sent her ASAP message to him while he briefed Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto on his recommendation for the Chunin exams, he was worried. For months now, her father had been dabbling with the idea of marring her off, without her consent._

 _She sat on her bed, her back to the wall, her long hair gathered into a tight braid at the back of her neck, falling over her shoulder as she leaned into her knees. She didn't flinch as he walked into her darkened room and sat down beside her. He waited for a long moment until she was ready to tell him what was wrong. He took the moment to really look at her, so young and beautiful, completely unaware of how precious she really is to him. So like him in manor, calm, collected, but a complete wreck on the inside. Pushing down all her fears and anger deep, refusing to give into the temptation to lash out. He respected her for it. For he too knows the struggle to be who you want to be and not who you are._

 _Daring he touched the top of her head and ran his short nails along her hair line, telling her he could take it._

 _Sighing she shifted to face him, holding out a white piece of plastic, tears gathering in her eyes, "I'm pregnant." She whispered looking down at what she was handing him, when he didn't get the idea he was supposed to look at it, she forced his hand open and placed it into his fingers, pointing down at the two pink straight lines._

 _His breath caught in his throat as he read the brand of the test and then checked over the results on the little screen again. She shook like a leaf in the wind as she waited for him. Looking up at her, she suddenly had an ethereal glow about her, everything about her was lighter and brighter. She looked like an angel. Daring to touch her, he dropped the test to the bed and touched her cheek with his gloved hand._

 _Blushing she leaned into his touch closing her worried eyes for but a moment. She looked so young with her eyes closed, far younger than her twenty-three years, she looked much more like Sakura's elder sister. Shaking his head, he pushed back the knowledge that he trains Sayuri's niece. They promised four years ago when they got into this, once the doors are shut and they are alone, nothing but their private life exists._

 _"What are we going to do?" she whispered, pulling away from him and getting off the bed, placing her hands onto her lips as she looked everywhere but him._

 _"What is there to do?" he asked._

 _"I'm not having an abortion." She snapped quickly, glairing down at him._

 _Throwing his hands up, utterly shocked that's what she thought he wanted, "I wasn't suggesting that, I was trying to ask what our options are."_

 _"Well what do you want?" she asked, staring to pace back and forth from wall to wall, biting her nail._

 _Like hell he knew what he wanted. Even at twenty-seven, he hardly knew beyond the next year of what he expected. She looked so worried and without anything to respond he answered; "Isn't it your choice?"_

 _That was a bad answer. She turned bring red and fumed at him. "Oh geese Kakashi!" she groaned, "Put it all on me why don't you?"_

 _"It's your body."_

 _"It's our baby." She countered, "You and me; we created this," she touched the lower part of her belly, where their child was now growing, "so it's not just my decision alone."_

 _"Before we get ahead of ourselves, how pregnant are you?"_

 _"Kakashi, there is only one degree of pregnant."_

 _"Ah—how far along are you?"_

 _"I'm thinking just over a month, maybe longer, my periods have been irregular for my whole life, I just didn't notice."_

 _But she just came back three days ago from an A rank mission, one of her teammates was killed in action on it with her. His blood froze when he realized it, "You went on that mission pregnant!" he exclaimed, pushing up to stand to his full height, "You could have been killed."_

 _"I didn't know I was pregnant." She rolled her eyes._

 _"Have you told anyone?"_

 _"I made an appointment with a lady doctor to be checked out after I summoned you, only we know."_

 _"Don't tell your father."_

 _"You think I want a death wish?" she scoffed throwing her braid over her shoulder, "we have to figure this out, we can't hide it."_

 _"I'm at a loss."_

 _"What do you mean?"_

 _"I don't really know what to do."_

 _"I do, are you going to marry me or what?"_

 _Say what? Lifting his headband up, needed his Sharingan to see if what she was saying was real. "What?"_

 _"Do you want to marry me, is that something we could do?"_

 _"Where is this coming from?"_

 _"From a place I've been hiding from you for roughly three years."_

 _"Three years?"_

 _"Yeah, I knew the moment I met you that you are the man I am going to marry. I've just been waiting for you to figure it out for yourself. I've been dropping hints for years now, which you've so wonderfully have not noticed. Now we have no choice."_

 _"There are plenty of choices."_

 _"None that we can make; time is limited; in seven months we're having a baby! I'm legally obligated to inform the Hokage that I cannot be assigned to missions above a D. I'm stuck, Kakashi. Eventually my father is going to find out, flip, and then do something crazy."_

 _"He won't hurt you?"_

 _"My father doesn't even like me, why do you think I lived with Kizashi growing up? Of course he'll hurt me, he might very well kill me for giving up my virginity without his permission. I'm used goods, and I don't care, I love you, I'm having your baby—I'm going to be a mother and I wouldn't change a thing. If we are married, he can't touch me."_

 _"You can't expect me to…" word this right you asshole, "…just go and be a husband and a father, you know what's going on."_

 _"I know; Sakura tells me everything. You're losing the Uchiha boy, I know. I understand you're under stress trying to hold both those boys together." The vein in her forehead popped out, "but when we got together we promised to keep our worlds separate, in here we're just us, no distractions. But damn it if life hasn't gotten in the way, why can't you see that?"_

 _"You're getting worked up."_

 _"You're not telling me what I want to hear." She shouted, "You love me, you know it and I know it, we've been together nearly five years. We're adults, we've made decisions, now it's time to make the most important one. Are we getting married or not?"_

 _"You're not leaving me are you?"_

 _"No, why would I?"_

 _"Because I can't give you the answer you want."_

 _Running her hands over her hair, she pulled at the shorter ends of the fringe out, sighing deeply, "I would like to be married when this baby is born, I want it to have your name. If we can't get married before that, I'll settle for a prolonged engagement, just something to appease our families. My father might be quelled if you make the gesture to ask for my hand. I just want something tangible."_

 _"Sayuri…" he sighed, pulling at his hair._

Slapping him on the back, "I told you it was her!" Guy whispered in excitement.

Her ears picked up on the voice, shifting her eyes, she caught them. Honest shock filled her trained features. Her eyes widened just a hair as she looked into the mixed matched eyes of Kakashi. Of course she'd be able to see through the henge, seeing just them.

Quickly she discreetly made the hand signs to create a genjutsu all over the tea house. Leaving just the three of them alone. "What are you doing here?" she asked, stunned, her hand still on her target's next, pressing on his skin. "I'm busy."

"You've been recalled." Kakashi spoke up, stopping Guy from speaking in his elated tone, excited she was speaking in his general direction. "End it."

Staring deep into his eyes, "Very well, disperse. I will be with you in a moment." She warned, all business.

Taking advantage of her jutsu, both men left the house and went to hide in the woods. Guy pumped his fists and incessantly talking about how existed he was. He wouldn't stop. Kakashi had to place his fingers in his ears to stop the sound of his voice. He kept his Sharingan wide open and watched the tea house. He was sure he'd leave, but on what accord, he didn't know. Their orders were to extract her, not aid her in the mission, or even tell her to stop the mission and fall back. She could very well kill him right there, she could also just get up and leave, cause a scene and break up with him, put a clean in her place. There were so many things she could so. He hated that he couldn't guess it.

He could see her, her movements, her steady heartbeat. No sigh, no tell, completely in control. He trusted her, he knew she would do the right thing. But what that was…

"To think she was dressed so seductively?" Guy pressed on, slapping his back once again, really hard, nearly knocking Kakashi over. "Better than any pinup."

Shoving the man away, Kakashi fought back the urge to tell him not to speak about his wife. But movement in the building caught his eye. "She's on the move." He stated as he watched Sayuri push up and off the ground as her target slumped to the floor, dead. She started her assault, her expert hands quickly making work of the samurai coming after her, snapping one's neck and instantly causing cardiac arrest to the other. His urge to run to her side and aide her was hard to fight back.

He never once witnessed her in battle. It was like poetry to watch her move, like a dancer. She was calm and graceful, yet killing all around her, quickly. She never once used a jutsu to attack, however when the women began to scream and make a run for it, she put a genjutsu on them and made them still.

Guy had no idea what kind of woman his 'goddess' was. Skilled, deadly, and fucking amazing. Her mission had to have been all in her target's company. She left no one alive. As she exited the building, it blew up. Walking into the night, her back illuminated by the flames, she pulled off the harlot's gown and threw it away from her, leaving her in nothing more than an athletic bra and her bodysuit, the sleeves tied around her waist.

" _Hello_." She greeted them, her voice still in character, it would break in a few weeks, she slipped the jewelry from her hands and neck as she stood before them, unaware of the drooling man watching her. Looking up at him, she smiled, "I was very shocked to see you both." She said, untying her sleeves and pulling it up and on.

He felt better as he watched her zipper it, putting her amazing flesh out of Guy's viewing pleasure, but she didn't zipper it all the way, stopping under the swell of her breasts. "Tsunade has recalled all ninja to the village."

"Glad you found me, if I strung that along any more I would have to admit myself to psychiatric care." Taking her hair, she started to blindly braid it, looking between the two men. "But thank you for coming as backup."

"You certainly took care of business without us." Guy gave her an overzealous thumb up, his eyes only on the flesh of her breasts. "Amazing as the rumors suggest."

"You're too kind." She graced him with her subtidal smile as she put her hands onto her hips, "So tell me, what I've heard through the grapevine, is it all true?"

"Unfortunately." Kakashi admitted.

"Damn." She cursed, "Okay then, let's get back." She snapped her fingers.

Walking through the village Kakashi listened to Guy as he tried to woo Sayuri. He made her laugh and earned the nickname 'Hot Stuff', which only added to his ego even more. She had not spoken to him in the two days they had been traveling together, other than official banter. Coming down from her character high, her pronunciation was changing, she was less seductive and more natural, at least her version of natural.

"I bet you," Guy laughed as they reached the Hokage tower, wrapping his arm around Kakashi's shoulder, "I will have Sayuri Haruno in love with me by the end of the month."

"You think you're that smooth?"

He laughed so cheaply, "after two years off seducing a lord, I think she'd be grateful for some honest companionship."

"I think you're biting off more than you can chew, Guy."

"I think, you're jealous."

"Of what exactly?"

"That I have a natural way with women."

"Is that what you call it?"

"Hey, Copy Cat, Hot Stuff…" Sayuri called ahead of them, looking down the stairs at them, "You coming?"

"Yes Lady Sayuri! Let me get the door for you!"

"Why thank you." she laughed, taking his arm as he reached her side, allowing him to lead her in and up the Hokage tower.

Kakashi followed silently, his hands in his pockets, itching to take out his book and read it a fifth time. She leaned into Guy's shoulder and gave the man hope as they walked towards the office. Giggling like a giddy school girl.

"Ah, perfect timing." Tsunade said as she looked up from her scrolls and smiled at the threesome. "Thank you Kakashi and Guy, you may leave."

"Lady Hokage." Kakashi quickly agreed and stepped away.

Guy stepped back and took Sayuri's hand into his, "Please join me for a drink later on tonight?" he asked, "I won't take no for an answer."

"I'll have to see." She admitted, "Please don't hold it against me if I positively pass out when I get into my home and shower."

"I will wait all night if I have too, my goddess."

"Hot Stuff, please." she laughed, trying to take her hand away before he tastelessly kissed her knuckles.

"Guy, that is enough." Tsunade was the one who spoke up, standing up and hitting her fists against the wood of the desk, "I have to have a chat with Sayuri."

"Roger." Guy sighed, understanding that he was losing the game.

-X-

" _Sayuri," the doctor greeted as she walked into the tiny exam room they had been placed in, "Nice to finally have you in." she smiled at the two, looking at Sayuri who was dressed in the paper gown and on the exam table._

" _Sorry about missing the other appointment," Sayuri smiled like a guilty child. "Took me a while to get him here."_

" _This is dad?" she asked, looking at the indifferent man sitting beside her, casually reading his orange covered book, he looked at her with an onyx eye and nodded. "Welcome, so, we got your bloodwork all done you, and now we're going to just take a look see at your little nugget."_

" _Okay."_

" _You think you're about three months, so we can go ahead and do an ultrasound and see how far you are."_

" _Perfect."_

" _You excited to be a daddy?" the doctor asked as Sayuri got ready, laying down and pulling up the gown to expose her slightly rounded belly, just a few days ago she started to show._

 _Kakashi couldn't help but think she looked so beautiful as she laid down and smiled at him, her hand lovingly stroking the skin around her navel. "It will hit me soon." He had to admit._

" _Will this be both of your first child?"_

" _Yes." She answered for them._

" _Any hopes on the gender?"_

" _No, just as long as it has ten toes, fingers, and one head."_

" _Okay, let's take a look see." The doctor smiled as she turned the lights off and pulled the ultrasound machine towards them, picking up the clear gel to put onto her belly. "I see you're just starting to show?" she mused, turning on the screens, "You're a shinobi, correct?"_

" _Yeah."_

" _You'd be surprised to know that a lot of kunoichi in as good as physical condition as you hardly ever show."_

" _Really? Even at the latest months."_

" _Yes, every woman carries differently, but as good as condition as you are, I wouldn't be surprised if you only gain a little bit of weight and hardly show."_

" _Good to know." She laughed, holding the back of her head with both of her hands, looking so relaxed and elated at the same time._

 _The machine turned on and the doctor put the receiver into the gel and started to move it around the small surface. Both shinobi's attentions became attached to the black screen._

" _Ah! There we go!" she exclaimed, a little white outline appeared in the middle of the screens, "See the flickering right there?" she pointed to the little light moving fast, "that's the heart, nice and strong. This is the head, spine, and the legs, awe, it's waving at us!"_

" _Oh my god…" Sayuri gasped, covering her mouth in delight._

 _Kakashi moved closer, absorbed in the strange emotion pulling at his chest. It felt like pride, but it was so much more. Hardly believing he was having such a reaction to seeing the; fetus on screens, while knowing it was inside Sayuri. Her hand somehow got into his, lacing their fingers together to become one. Looking down at her, he found the most beautiful sight before him. His woman glowing._

" _Let's take a measurement." She stated, using the tools on the machine to measure the skull, "You are indeed three months, I'd say just shy of twelve weeks, maybe thirteen." She moved around the baby, "Do you want to know the sex, I can tell you now?"_

 _Sex? There is a sex now? Can there be a sex this soon? Kakashi's heart started to pound as he watched the idea of knowing what they are having washed over her face. Did he want to know? Does it even matter? Boy? Girl? Baby sounded just fine right now, need there be a sex? They have yet to finish their argument about what to do. Training Sasuke for the Chunin exams has been taking over his life, trying to teach that boy control. Not to mention looking out for Naruto and delivering his weekly reports to the Third about him. He couldn't make a decision on what to do, he didn't even want to think about it._

 _But there it was, waving back at them from twelve leagues under the sea._

" _I don't really care." She sighed, looking at him, "Do you want to know?"_

 _What does he say? He's already said the wrong thing too many times. Make her happy and ignore this pinching in his chest, or be selfish and act like he didn't give a shit. Real Kakashi underneath the facade was running a fucking marathon trying to keep up with life. One minute he's living a double life, trying to make up for all the sorrow in his life and take care of team seven, the next he's got to face his biggest fear and man the fuck up, get permission from Sayuri's father to marry her (Still doesn't know if he can) and get ready to be a father. If he's twelve weeks, he's only got twenty-four more until this baby is born._

" _I wouldn't mind." He answered after too long of a silence with both women watching him like he had three heads._

" _Okay, mommy and daddy, it's a boy."_

" _A boy?" Kakashi repeated, his blood stilling, freezing, thawing, warming. "A boy."_

" _See right there, he was in the perfect position to find out."_

" _We're having a boy!" Sayuri laughed and cried at the same time. "We're having a boy!"_

"Hey." She whispered against his neck as she slid on the bed behind him. Wrapping her arms around his neck, leaning down onto him. "I missed you." her lips kissed the back of his bare neck as he leaned over his knees.

"I couldn't stop them." He whispered to her. "Then or now."

"The Uchiha boy?"

"I couldn't stop him or Naruto. Even Sakura. All of it is blowing up in my face."

"You shouldn't blame yourself. It is all fate."

"I was the one who trained them, put them together, all of it came crashing down around me."

"I'm sorry."

"What did Tsunade want with you?"

"Another mission." She answered, sitting back and away from him.

His ears burned at the sound of those two words. Turning to face her, "What mission?"

"She's setting up a network of infiltrations that will act as both guards and early warning detection. Anyone moves and we take care of it. When the enemy makes its move the first line of defense will already have been launched." Her soft blue eyes caught the worry in his, "Before you ask, I had no chance of refusal, it's my devotion to the village, she's only choosing her best for this."

"I thought you said it was your last time."

"On a SIA, dummy." She rolled her eyes at him cutely, reaching out she ran her fingers through his silver hair, "What did you expect me to retire from the life and become a housewife that quickly?"

"You? No." he smiled back at her, leaning into her calming touch. "Your father died last year."

"I know, I stopped by to speak with Kizashi, apparently he was passed over as leader, my second brother, Kinomi, was named in the will."

"And the betrothal?"

"Not even mentioned." She chuckled.

Sliding closer to her, Kakashi reached out and held her face in his hands, "You're safe."

"We're safe." She corrected.

"When do you leave?"

"Tomorrow."

"Well shit."

"Yeah, sorry."

"I just get my wife back and now you're leaving me again."

"Yeah, that's how the cookie crumbles. I was very entertained how well you did with Guy hitting on me."

"You didn't help." He groaned, falling onto his back, pulling her down next to him, fitting her against his naked chest.

"Sorry about that." She laughed as she made herself comfortable against him, pulling her hair to relieve the tension on her scalp, "I couldn't help it, I was still in character, plus he's very forceful."

"I missed you." he admitted as they laid there for a long moment in silence.

"I missed you too." She shivered as his hand started to absently started to trace along her side, "I can't stay too long, I have something to do in the morning."

"Things your husband can't be a part of?"

"Yup." She laughed, smacking his stomach, "I'll meet you at the memorial stone before I report for duty."

"I still don't like the idea."

"You have your orders and I have mine."

"She didn't even ask if you wanted to do it?"

"Just because she knows we are married wouldn't have stopped her from assigning us our posts."

"Promise me, if something happens, send a message to me."

"And distract you? I wouldn't do that. You have enough on your plate to worry about, I can take care of myself. Don't you think I can't, I've been out on my own before, for much longer."

"This is not the same as your usual posts."

"Kakashi," she warned, closing her eyes and snuggling in deep, "Shut up."

-X-

Kakashi stood as he always did before the memorial stone, staring off into the distant memories that often haunted him at night. Family, friends, allies, their names forever etched in stone, but not often remembered. It saddened him that these people would never be remembered unless there was someone to remember them. So when he's gone, the memories of the people behind the names will be forgotten. Ripples in the water, destined to end.

It was nearly sunrise, Sayuri had departed in the middle of the night to put her affairs in order. She was right, he had to admit that, they each had their orders. Just because they are married; it doesn't mean their devotions to the village have changed. Many shinobi couples work at the same time, maybe not at the same level. Certainty parents trade off priority missions to stay home with their children.

Children… damn it, now the knife in his chest was back.

But he did have his mission, he had to look after Naruto and Sakura. They along with the village are his number one priority. More like his own little brother and sister rather than children, but he cared for them deeply. Actually, funny thing is, Sakura is his niece now. Hard to think of her as such, one day, Sayuri would have to break the news to her. Would Sakura accept it? Would she just think it was weird and cut off ties with him?

They'd figure it out one day.

Her soothing chakra brought a wave of calm over his pain as the sun started to peak from the east. Silently she stood behind him, waiting for him to finish his penance. She always made him feel lighter and full of hope. Someone like him, so scared, shouldn't deserve peace. But like she always told him, she loved all the scars on his body and in his soul. Just as he loved all of her.

Saying a silent prayer for his father and mother, he turned around. Looking at Sayuri he gasped. "What?" he took in the sight of her dressed in the typical uniform of a ninja, the vest unzipped all the way, forehead protector around her waist, and her long hair gone.

Her long luscious knee length pink hair was now cut very—very, the longest strands at her forehead as bangs. She looked so different without her hair. She would always be a beautiful woman, but without the hair that aided in her sexual aura, she looked like a confident twenty-nine-year-old woman.

"Do you like it?" she asked, reaching up with her painted black nails to run her hands over the short ends, ruffling her bangs in a nervous manor.

"It's different." He admitted, standing toe to toe with her, apprehensively reaching out to smooth the back of her hair down, the shorter ends were sticking up in freedom. "I've never seen you with short hair before."

"Do I look nice?" she asked, worried he wouldn't think she looked pretty, she may not care what others think about her, may have never accepted that she was indeed beautiful, but she wanted to know that he thought it. "Still me?"

"It suits you." he smiled, holding the back of her neck. "Why did you cut it all off?"

"Haruno women never cut their hair because it ties them to the clan, it shows our bond, our devotion, and our chains. I never once cut my hair before now, because I'm not a Haruno anymore." Reaching up she held his jaw with her delicate hands, "I am Sayuri Hatake, I cut my hair as a symbol of our bond and devotion."

"Now I have to let you go." He sighed, defeated utterly.

"I want to make something clear before I go." Stepping into him, the sunlight starting to fill the air around them from the east, wrapping them in golden light. "Something you have to agree too." Wrapping her arms around him, she looked up into his eye. As his hands held her waist, she knew he was listening. "When this is all over, whatever comes, whatever we face—I want to start a family, we already lost too much time, these last six years."

"I'm guessing it's not up for debate?"

"Absolutely not, you have no choice in this matter."

"Then who am I to argue."

"Good." She smiled so brightly, excited with the promise to start a life. "I hope you get that through your thick skull, I am expecting a very large family."

"Why not one or two?" large? How large is large to her? Hell, she's one of seven, what if she wanted more than that? She's got a perfect decade to have children, if they start right away they could have eight kids before he's even fourth. Damn it, can he do that? He was an only child, he had no idea what is was like to be surrounded by babies, let alone be a father!

Shaking her head, she noticed the apprehension in his eyes, "you'll survive, I promise, you won't be alone."

"More like won't have time to be in silence."

Rising up on her toes she kissed his covered lips and giggled, "That's good, you've both been alone with your own thoughts in the silence for far too long."

"Okay." He breathed, still panicking on the inside of what she meant by a large family.

"Stay safe and don't die."

"I already died."

"Then what does heaven look like?"

"Dim without you."

"You are so full of shit." She smiled deeply.

"You better get going."

"I love you Kakashi Hatake."

"I love you, Sayuri Hatake."

"I think I like the sound of that."

Stepping back into the rising sun, she smiled deeply at him, showing him how much she really loved him. Just as the sun got too bright for his eye, he shielded the light from his eyes, and she was gone.

* * *

Page count: 13

Word count: 5,900


	4. Chapter 4

llwild1992 (2016-)

Rating: M (Sexual content)

Pairing: Kakashi/OC

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

* * *

A Ninja's Devotion

Chapter Four

Sayuri felt like she was suddenly dreaming. As though she shut her eyes and was gone. She was doing something, something she couldn't remember. What was it?

Standing at the entrance of an unfamiliar house. She stared at it, a wave of both knowledge and hope washed over her. She wasn't sure what she was doing here, or how she got here even. Taking the chance, she slid the door open and walked into the foyer. Quickly taking off her shoes and settling them down before the step. Already another adult's shoes sat along with two pairs of small sandals. Whose were those? Whose house was she in?

With vigilant eyes she stepped up and walking into the home. It was bright and fill of life and color. A contradiction to these traditional homes.

A rustling startled her, making her prepare for an attack by the owners, but a small child ran out from one of the rooms. "Mommy!" it laughed.

A little silver haired boy, dressed in a blue t-shirt and black shorts smiled widely at her with a semi-toothless grin. His silver hair stood up on end and hung in his eyes. He jumped up and ran for her, waving his arms at her.

Her heart stopped as she bent down and caught him against her chest. His arms surrounded her in an affectionate embrace. His nose swiped back and forth on her neck as he gave himself fully into her. Picking him up and holding him tightly she looked down in shock. When his soft blue eyes looked up at her, swirling with love and adoration, she knew. This is her son. Her beautiful silver haired blue eyes boy.

"I missed you, mommy." He smiled before leaning up to kiss her cheek.

The love she felt for her boy consumed her. She worshiped his cheek and forehead with her kissed before putting him down on his soft feet. "I missed you too."

"Mommy!" a girl's voice shouted. Looking away from her boy, Sayuri's breath was taken away as a little rosette girl no more than four years of age came running after them. Dressed in a sweet little blue sundress, her dark black eyes wide and animated.

Bending down to her knees she hugged the child to her, offering kisses to her forehead.

The love that filled her body replaced any other feeling in her. She was home. With her children.

"Dad! Mommy is home." The boy shouted towards the house before taking her hand, "We're building a house for the birds in the yard." He explained, "we're going to watch the baby birds grow."

"Are you know?" she asked as she was taken into the porch, facing a wonderful garden and yard.

A man stood up out of the corner of her eye. Turning she found an utterly relaxed Kakashi, dressed down, barefoot, and mask-less. His mixed matched eyes softened towards her as he approached. Her heart leapt with delight as her husband reached her, leaning in to kiss her. Both the children groaned at the display of parentally affection and ran into the yard. The older holding his sister's hand as they ran.

Kakashi's hands ran down her mid length hair, stopping to hold her neck lovingly. He looked at her in a way that made her blush and go hot. Reaching up she ran her finger down his scared eye. "Hello." She whispered to him.

His lips kissed the pad of her finger before kissing her lips once again. "Hello wife. How are you feeling?"

"Perfect." She admitted as she held his waist.

"I hope the appointment didn't tire you out too much. I am sorry for having to miss it."

"Appointment?"

He nodded, "Your last one."

"For what?"

His brow rose in confusion, like it was obvious to everyone but her why she had an appointment. His hand touched her stomach, "Before the baby comes." He stated.

Looking down, Sayuri realized she was nine months pregnant. Letting out a surprised gasp she looked down at her bump. Wondering how she didn't realize it? Who forgets they are about ready to deliver a baby?"

"You're not feverish are you?" the back of his hand was placed on her wide forehead, his voice genuinely filled with worry over her.

Shaking her head, she pulled his hand away and paced it against her chest, lacing their fingers together. "No I am fine." She whispered, looking up at him with all her love, "I have a hard time thinking when you look at me sometimes."

"About time it's reciprocated." Kakashi admitted, holding her close, "I haven't been able to have a coherent thought since I first met you." He kissed her again and brought her to sit under the shade of the porch as they watched their children play.

Rubbing her hand over her belly, she delighted in the movement of the child within her. Tears began to form as the feeling of pure delight and sublime happiness filled her. Leaning her head against her husband she watched her son and daughter. The boy took extra care to be gentle with his sister, holding her hand and reassuring her at times when she felt insecure or scared in their game. Her daughter's laugh brought joy to her heart, to know the childhood she so longed to have was now her daughter's.

Kakashi threaded his hand through her hair, completely at ease. Right here, is her moment of perfect.

"I am so happy." She sighed.

-X-

Sayuri came awake as she was dropped to the ground from whatever god awful thing she had been trapped in as it disintegrated around her. Landing on the ground, bracing herself she watched as everyone too were released from cocoon like things. She placed her hand over her heart. It had been so real, so perfect. The genjutsu had given her everything she had ever wanted, love, tranquility, children, and Kakashi. Her five manned squad landed near her, all shouting, wondering what was going on. Her head and heart hurt as she sat upon the ground. Fisting the sides of her head, pulling at her growing hair.

Echoes of her memories came flooding back to her, pushing away the dream she desperately wanted to be real. A she tried to stand, she realized, she had no chakra.

Falling onto her back she stared up into the empty sky.

Tears began to form as she remembered the worst moments of her life…

 _Sitting up in the dark Sayuri groaned. Not knowing where the pain was coming from. Kakashi sensing her alertness and distress woke, staring at her with his sharingan. Shaking she pushed the blankest away from her waist as another round of pain ceased her. He stretched around her over the bed and went to the kitchen to get her a glass of water, turning on the light for them as he passed out of the room._

 _Looking down at her thighs, her body went cold as she looked at herself. "Kakashi!" she screamed so loudly she was sure the whole village would wake._

 _Kakashi slid back into the room, "What!?"_

 _"I'm bleeding!" she held up her hand, covered in her own blood. "I-I-I-I…" another stronger wave of cramping pulled her down onto her side, her hands between her legs out of protection, "I don't know what to do!" tears formed as she realized what was happening as Kakashi knelt at her side, completely at a loss at what was happening. "I think I'm losing the baby…" she whimpered._

 _Panic overtook him, taking her in his arms, he transported them into the emergency room, scaring the nurses in the waiting room as they landed. "I need help!"_

 _The nurse blanched at seeing her blood coating her bare thighs and shorts. She pressed on the intercom, "Triage!" two orderlies pushed into the room as Sayuri gripped him, tears running down her face. They tried to take her from him, she didn't want to go without him._

 _Once she was finally put on the bed, crying out for him. As she was wheeled away and into the unit, she watched as Kakashi was stopped from following, he was handed a clip board, his mixed matched eyes full of worry and helplessness._

 _"I'm thirteen weeks pregnant." She managed to say as she was taken into a dim room, "Will my son be okay?" she asked as no one answered her, instead they did their job of hooking her up to an IV and a fetal monitor. "What about my baby?" she asked. When they ignored her she cried out, "I want my boyfriend with me! Someone tell me what's going on. Kakashi!"_

 _"Ma'am please calm down." The orderly said with a hand to her shoulder, pushing her down to rest, "we will know more when the doctor comes to examine you."_

 _"Am I miscarrying?"_

 _"Please try to calm down, we'll do everything we can, but you must remain calm."_

 _"Where is my boyfriend?"_

 _"He has to fill out paperwork on your behalf. You said you are thirteen weeks, when was your last appointment?"_

 _"Yesterday!" she cried out, bringing up her hands to hide her tears, "We found out yesterday that we're having a boy."_

 _"Take it easy."_

 _"You take it easy!" she cried._

 _An hour later, they let Kakashi come back and be with her. She couldn't look at him. Even as weak as she felt she managed to roll over and turned her back on him. He said nothing, of course, he wouldn't know what to say. So he just sat down next to her, and read his book._

 _When the doctor returned, she only listened._

 _"I am so sorry, but you've miscarried your child." He said again, this time for Kakashi. "Your body has already expelled 80%, you'll need to make an appointment with your doctor in the next week or so to make sure your body has returned to normal."_

 _"Thank you." She whispered, pulling the sheet closer to her chin._

 _"You're young," the doctor said, "In a few months you can try again. Women in good health and condition as you often go on to have healthy pregnancies."_

 _"Thank you." Kakashi said for them both, standing up to shake his hand._

 _"There is no rush, we are preparing the"—hearing her whimpering he took in a deep breath— "…you have plenty of time to rest, Sayuri."_

 _"I don't know what to say." Kakashi breathed, standing at the foot of the bed._

 _"You don't have to say anything." She answered, pressing the nails of her fingers harder into her skin, the pain did not equal nor quell the one she had experienced._

 _"What are they…"_

 _"I want to bury him in the Sakura grove." She whispered, tears falling down her cheek, "So he will always be surrounded by beauty." He did not say anything, but she knew what she was asking, "I delivered him, by myself. The pain I felt—I didn't feel pregnant when we got here. They let me hold him for a moment. He was—perfect. A baby."_

 _"Sayuri…"_

 _"They wouldn't tell me anything, because we're not married I had to wait until you could receive visitors. Not even being the baby's father allowed me to be with you."_

 _"You should have been here," she groaned, "You should have pushed your way in here. He was your baby too."_

 _"I know."_

 _"I want to go home."_

 _"I'll take you."_

 _He said._

 _It took her a month to get use to the emptiness inside of her. Kakashi was gentle with her, around her, but he wasn't with her. She didn't know if the loss of the baby haunted him the way it did her. He wouldn't say anything. He did nothing. He wouldn't even hold her at night. He said he would be there for her and he pulled away._

 _So she pushed him away._

 _She gave birth to their child along, so she buried him outside the village in the large Sakura grove alone. She put a little stone above him so she would have something to lay a lily against. A gift from a mother who would never be one to him. A son that would never be._

 _A little flicker of hope filled her as she looked at her calendar. She decided she could hope. She would give herself this chance._

 _"We can try again in a few weeks." She said as Kakashi made himself comfortable on the couch, his book under his nose._

 _He looked up at her as she held her hands to her chest._

 _"I'm sorry I've been distant, I just needed some time. But I think it would be good for us to try again."_

 _"You…want to get pregnant again?" he swallowed hard._

 _"Don't you?" she raised her bow, "I know the first wasn't planned and we weren't ready, but I want to try again."_

 _"Sayuri…" he sighed, raising the book, "I don't think this is a good idea."_

 _Sitting down on her knees, she placed her hand on his knee to get his attention, "Kakashi, I know you're apprehensive to have a family, but I need to do this, for me and for you. We're young and in love, what can be more natural than to create life? Together. I want to do this together."_

 _"We're not even married."_

 _"We can get married!" she snapped, slapping his knee, "we can do it tomorrow, Lord Third wouldn't deny you. We can start over with this, fresh, eyes wide open. I don't care what my father would think or do. I want to marry you, I want to have your children, I want to live my life with you."_

 _"Think about what you're saying, Sayuri. You're twenty-three, what do you know about your own life? You need to live it fully before making decisions like this. You've never done anything beyond your missions. If you have a baby now, you'll never have your own adventures. You'll regret it, all of it."_

 _"I would never regret falling in love or having our children! I do know what I want out of my life and that is you,"_

 _"This is something we can't do right now, you need more, much more than I can give right now."_

 _"Our private lives don't follow your rules, Kakashi. Why can't you let yourself be happy? You never talk about your childhood, about your experience in the war, and you never talk about anything Kakashi. I've never once asked that of you, because I can see it in your eyes, the darkness that haunts you, the pain and the fear. Let me take all of that away?" she bit down on her lip so her tears would not fall, she felt like she had been crying for years at this rate._

 _How she loves this man. This complicated, mysterious, and broken man. When she looks into his dark eye, she sees herself. The shattered pieces of a girl whose life was dependent on her beauty and charm and yet she longs for more. Together their shards become one whole person, still imperfect and haunted, but whole._

 _His eyes drifted back to his book. Always that damned book. She hated when he hid himself, now he is pushing her away._

 _"I'm not going to beg you." She stated as her tears fell down her cheek._

 _"You're not the type of woman to beg a man for anything."_

 _Standing up she balled her fists, restraining the urge to punch him in the face. "The only way to heal the past is to move forward in the future, I'm trying to do that and you're not helping."_

 _"Give it time, Sayuri, maybe it's a good thing. Maybe when you're closer to thirty we'll revisit having children and marriage."_

 _"Are you hinting that the miscarriage was a good thing?" her anger boiled at such a thought. He looked up at her with his dark eye, shocked at such a notion, but hidden under it, she could see the relief the loss of their child caused. He no longer had a weakness, a liability, or obligation to deal with. "You fucking bastard!" with a chakra infused hand she slapped him across the face, and he allowed it. He did nothing to stop her and accepted the blow._

 _It was the first time she had ever struck him in anger. It shocked her as she watched his face shoot to the side and the sound echoed in his apartment. Her hand stung as she looked down at him. He refused to look at her. He knew what he had said, even if it wasn't meant to hurt her._

 _More tears fell down her cheek as she writhed in anger and pain. "I will never forgive you for that!" turning on her heel she went to the door, retrieved her shoes, and left his apartment._

 _He didn't chase after her. As she wandered the night, cold and alone, she hoped he would. He should have come after her. She wanted him to come after her, apologize, kiss her, and tell he was sorry._

 _Sitting under the tree, her hand touching the stone, she waited for him. But he never came. With a broken heart she sat in the morning light. She whispered to her child and apologized for the father he would never know. She couldn't go back to him; her pride was too wounded. She couldn't go to Sakura's house. Seeing her innocent face would only make her heart hurt. She needed to get away, far away, to heal and forget, maybe even one day forgive._

 _Standing up, she walked silently and solemnly through the village and to the Hokage's tower. She waited until the Third Hokage had a moment to see her. Walking into his chamber she knelt down before his desk as he smoked his pipe._

 _"What do you need to speak with me about, Sayuri?"_

 _"My Lord, I have served diligently as a member of Team Geisha, have I not?"_

 _"Yes you have, fifteen high profile rogue ninja successfully assassinated by your team's hand. You have served this village well."_

 _"Because of my duty to the village, I have a request."_

 _"What would that be?"_

 _"I wish to be assigned a S-rank assassination, I want to go out on my own, and prove myself."_

 _Lord Third released a large puff of smoke and then placed his pipe on the desk. He looked down at her in bewilderment, "You are very young, Sayuri, such a request is more fitted to an older and more experienced Jonin in your certain expertise."_

 _Shaking her head, she pressed on, "My Lord Hokage, I understand you wish to protect me, but I can take care of myself. I wish to do this for the village."_

 _"Very well," he sighed, opening his desk and pulling out a scroll, "There is a mission which would require a lengthy posting." He held it out to her, "You will have to work your way into the mark's life with no aid from the village nor our feudal lord. Once in you will have to spend time gathering the information listed on this scroll. No telling how long this mission will take, months or years."_

 _"I accept it." She stood and took the scroll, bowing her head to him, "I will never fail you."_

 _"I will admit, I have never thought you would come to me and ask this of me. I had hoped you would find a position teaching novice Kunoichi at the academy or as a Sensei. I kept you back for this reason."_

 _"I understand."_

 _"But you have never disappointed me."_

 _"I never plan to."_

 _"You leave when ready."_

 _"Now." She stated. "I will leave now." Anything to run away from her pain._

Food pills were passed around to regain some strength. She joined the other ninja around her. Wondering what had happened. They had been in battle and cheering on Naruto Uzumaki as he fought for the world. There was no sign of them.

She no longer sensed Kakashi's chakra in the area, nor Sakura's. Alarmed she closed her eyes and focused, moving herself out of the sounds of the other ninja and searched.

Sensing Kakashi's dim chakra signature she rushed off. He was weak, injured. She fought back the whole incident to rush to his aide, but she knew better. Just as she could take care of herself, he could too.

Gasping as she reached the ravine, she found Kakashi down at the river, with an injured Naruto and Sasuke Uchiha. Sakura healing them. Kakashi standing down there with them. Sensing her chakra, he turned and looked up at her.

She made her way down there and rushed to him, "Are you okay? What happened?" she stood before him and gasped as she looked at his bloodied chest. The large 'X' and his hunched over form made her worry.

"Aunt Sayuri?" Sakura gasped at her being there. "I'm okay." She turned her head to look at her aunt, but found her wrapping her arms around Kakashi's neck.

"I was so worried when I didn't feel your Chakra." She cried as Kakashi relaxed into her arms, gently folding his own around her waist.

"I am okay." He whispered into her ear.

"No you're not! Your bleeding everywhere!" she let her tears fall for every moment they had been parted. Not caring they were before other, she leaned up and kissed his covered mouth. "I told you not to do anything stupid! This counts as stupid!"

"I will heal."

"You better!"

"Did she just kiss Kakashi Sensei?" Naruto asked as he watched from his seat, staring at the two as Sayuri kept crying in his arms.

"I am so confused…" Sakura cocked her head to the side, watching and not comprehending.

"Who is she?" Sasuke asked, his right eye narrowing at the older Kunoichi who looked so similar to Sakura, down to the length of her pink hair.

Sayuri leaned back and stepped back, wiping the tears from her eyes. Looking up at her husband, "What happened to your eyes?" she gasped, seeing a pair of matching midnight black eyes looking down at her "Your Sharingan is gone…" she nearly blushed as she could see the tenderness in his matching eyes look at her with.

Gently Kakashi reached out with his hand and ran his fingers down the back of her head and through the longer strands of her hair. Had so much time passed since he had seen her last? She looked beautiful, more so without his sharingan eye examining her chakra for defense.

"I am no longer the Copy Cat Ninja." He said as he held her neck in his palm, "And I have also been named the sixth Hokage." She might not have heard about his appointment, being on the front so long and under the command of Tsunade.

Her mouth went dry as she looked at him, "So you're telling me that I am married to the Sixth Hokage?"

"Yes."

"MARRIED!?" Naruto and Sakura both screamed.

Sayuri began to laugh, throwing her head back and holding her stomach, "If my father could hear me now! He would die! I just know it! This is rich, truly. Who would pick you to be Hokage? I would have never thought this in one thousand years. And I'm married to you!" she nearly fell over in giddiness as Kakashi gripped her wrist to prevent it.

"Aunt Sayuri?" Sakura asked with a small voice, gaining he attention of Sayuri. Blue eyes found sickly green eyes as Sakura asked, "Can you explain this to me." She motioned between her aunt and sensei.

"Oh?" she blushed, "I think I should. Well you see…years ago when I was…how do I say it, I met Kakashi when I was nineteen, long before he became your sensei, and we dated seriously up until—um, never mind the details, but then I was assigned to my long term mission, we got married when I came back, so we've been married two years now, but together eleven years—what else should I tell you—oh I cut my hair as you can see."

Sakura nearly passed out as her color dropped. She pointed to Sayuri, "You; my aunt." She then slowly pointed at Kakashi, "And Kakashi; my sensei. You are married to him?"

"Yes."

"You're married to her?" she asked again, Kakashi nodded, "So you're married to each other."

"Exactly." Sayuri said, kneeling down before her niece, "I wish we could have told you, I would have made you apart of it, I swear, but we had to keep it secret. Y'know with my engagement to another, my father's keenness on a clan alliance, adding to the fact that it would be too risky if it got out that the Utsukushi-sa of Konoha and the Copy Cat Ninja we're together would have only put us in more danger. Plus, you know how secretive Kakashi it."

"I-I-I-I"—Sakura shook her head— "can't process this…"

Naruto doubled over in a gut wrenching laugh beside Sasuke Uchiha, unable to hold back as he laughed in sheer enjoyment, "Kakashi Sensei is married to your aunt, that makes him your uncle. Your now related to Kakashi Sensei!"

"Shut up Naruto!" both rosette women groaned.

Upon seeing the lack of arms the boys had, Sayuri screamed, "Naruto what on earth happened to your arm!" she blanched, scooting over to him, "Oh no, does it hurt, what can I do? Sakura have you healed him? How long have you been like this? Do you feel faint? You poor boy!"

"Am I still adorable?" Naruto blushed.

"I can tell you're related from the screaming." Sasuke smirked.

* * *

Sayuri stood at the balcony as she watched her husband take his vows as Lord Sixth Hokage, his face etched in the stone beside Tsunade and Lord Forth. She smiled as he was cheered. Looking over his shoulder at her, his eyes softened. She blew him a kiss and clapped for him. He looked damn good in his official Hokage garb.

After the festivities they managed to get home unseen. Sometimes they both longed for the days when secrecy was needed in their relationship. But she loved this aspect of it now, being able to hold his hand or rest her head against his shoulder in public.

"So you are now, Hokage." She whispered as they walked out into the back porch, sitting together before the small koi pond.

"It would appear so." He said.

"Then, may I make a request, Lord Hokage?" she lowered her voice as well as titled her chin up to peer at her husband. He nodded as he wrapped his arm around her, "I ask that you accept my resignation as an active duty Kunoichi, effective immediately."

"I will, but on what grounds? I need a reason for your paper work, being the Hokage's wife doesn't service."

Smirking she leaned in to whisper to him, "Because I hope to be a dutiful housewife and take care of my husband. We've just moved into this glorious home, which I would need to change drastically, I hate the green color of the walls and mats. Plus, now that he is indeed Hokage I need to make sure I can stand by his side; that will be my new mission. Always, until the day he steps down. It is my duty to my Hokage to request such a thing."

She could see him smile under his mask. Slowly she reached up and pulled it from his nose and lips, revealing the beautiful face, she is among the few to have seen. "Such a mission, to be dutiful to your husband and Hokage will be long term. Years."

"I'm willing to suffer." She took the Hokage cap from his head and placed it on her lap, "Also; I am pregnant." Before he could say anything, she kissed him.

* * *

Word count: 4,621

MS Word: 10 pages


End file.
